Nagisa: The Bodyguard Assassin
by BipolarPanda
Summary: Talented assassin Nagisa has been given a new assignment... as a bodyguard? A rogue organization has surfaced and its new target is St. Miator's heart-throb, Shizuma Hanazono. Nagisa must go undercover as a student at the school in order to protect her target and uncover the secrets of this other assassin group. Will Nagisa be able to succeed at her mission?
1. Bodyguard?

**AN: Hello everyone! So, now I guess I have two works in progress. I plan to work on both of these stories whenever I have free time.**

**Anyways, I was reading a manga (Akuma no Riddle) about this assassin placed into a school with other assassins and one person amongst them is their target, but none of them know which student is the target. The protagonist decides to protect the target from the others. If only there were more chapters out for that manga…**

**Moving on, I got the idea to do a story in a school setting with an assassin bodyguard. Meet the aloof killer Nagisa, assigned to protect the flirtatious Shizuma and also uncover a rogue assassin organization. Sorry for the long 'thought' intro. I figured I should introduce the group that Nagisa works for and how it came to be. I'm still trying to piece a plot together for this story. The one I have right now just seems like it would be too convoluted, but meh. I guess I'll deal with it as I write.**

**Also, I apologize for any similarities between the story and novel. I promise not to make it a habit. And another apology for the bad summary and unoriginal titles.  
**

**Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

_I am a member of The Baran, a secret organization which eliminates wealthy members of society whom use their status to engage in illicit activities. The founder was an extremely successful businessman: Seiji Takahashi. He was a philanthropist and sought to better the lives of humanity. Being a member of the prominent Takahashi family, he saw firsthand how easily money could corrupt others and vowed to find a way to fight this corruption._

_Sadly, he discovered something this large could not be defeated so easily through peaceful means. And so, he decided death was the only way to stop these crooked business moguls. He gathered talented people all across Japan: anesthesiologists, martial arts masters, toxicologists, various types of engineers, etc. All these individuals were hired by Seiji in order to train assassins and develop methods to assist them in their missions._

_Three simple categories were created in this new organization: Technology, Chemicals, and Handlers. Those in Technology created gadgets and other devices to be used by the Handlers. Those in Chemicals created substances to be used by Handlers in order to incapacitate or eliminate their targets. Those in Handlers carried out the missions given to them by Seiji and were called agents. All three categories were also educated in general studies and Japanese culture. This was to ensure that they would be able to behave within the social norms of the citizens in Japan._

_Now, who was trained in these categories? The trainees were young children, ranging between the ages of four and seven… All taken from orphanages around Japan. I am one of those children and was placed into the Handlers category. I have been trained in methods of armed and un-armed combat, infiltration and espionage, acrobatics and athletics… I have been sent on missions ever since I became a part of this organization…_

_I am Nagisa Aoi, also known by my codename Agent Zero, because I have yet to fail an assignment. I'm afraid this may not last long, since my current mission is different from the others… How is an assassin supposed to protect a life, when all she knows is how to take a life?_

* * *

Nagisa Aoi stood from her chair at the conference table and slammed her hands upon the mahogany surface, her red bangs swaying from her forceful actions. Her dark pink eyes bore into the man sitting across from her. The gentleman was Hirai Takahashi, the young head of the organization. He was a refined individual, with swept brown hair and piercing hazel eyes. He regarded her with a small smile, his hands clasped in front of him. Nagisa clenched her teeth.

_How can he be so nonchalant about this?_ She thought with a scowl.

"So… you want me, a life extinguisher, to become a bodyguard?! I absolutely refuse! And to be enrolled in a high school, no less! Why can't we just find this enemy organization and take them out? This plan is impractical. Innocent girls will get hurt if I'm thrown into the mix! If they find out about me and my connections, other girls will be used as bait against me!" Nagisa continued her anger-fueled rant until she finally had to stop in order to catch her breath. Hirai used this moment to hold up a hand.

"Listen, Nagisa-san. This group needs to be stopped. They accept any contract that hits their desk; they could care less who the target is. Problem is, we don't even know where this group is located, nor do we know what name they go by. All the other agents I have sent to uncover information have failed. Our intel, however, has been able to successfully dig up something. This person is their next target."

The man nodded to the folder that lay in front of Nagisa. The red-head sighed and flipped it open, retrieving a photo from its contents.

The picture was of a beautiful girl dressed in what appeared to be a school uniform. Everything about her seemed perfect… Her long, wavy silver hair… Her fair porcelain skin… Her tall, slender figure… Her gentle amber eyes… Nagisa groaned and put a hand to her face. She definitely wasn't looking forward to taking care of a snooty rich kid (even though Nagisa was only fifteen years old, a child herself).

_Of all the things… Me, a babysitter?! The nerve of this man…_

The man smirked at her reaction. "All the blood rush to your head, Nagisa-san? I hear she's quite the lady-killer," he said with a wink. Nagisa rolled her eyes.

"But I must admit, this mission will be easier if she becomes enamored with you. Maybe you should work your charms on her?" He teased.

"All that matters is her protection. It is best that I don't get too close to her nor anyone else at the school. I will watch her from a distance. You know that is for the best, Takahashi-sama," the girl sighed.

_Sheesh… I figured Hirai would have become more serious after taking over for his father, Seiji… But, no, of course not. Always teasing me as if he were my older brother…_

"I know, I know! You're too stiff to seduce anyone anyways," he said with a wave of his hand. "Back to the topic at hand, that girl is Shizuma Hanazono. Apparently, she is to be the successor of her father's corporation. Obviously, someone doesn't want this to happen. For what reason, we do not know yet. Along with your mission to protect her, you need to find more information on the rogue group which is targeting her and also who hired them."

Nagisa flipped through the papers in the folder, skimming them as she went. "Okay. So, I will be a fourth year transfer student and will be attending an all-girls school… St. Miator Girl's Academy… The students live in dorms, two to a room. Will I be sharing a room with her then?"

Hirai shook his head. "That won't be possible. She's a sixth year student. They don't mix different years together. You'll just have to get creative in order to make sure nothing happens to her."

"Well, that is going to make things more difficult…" Nagisa grumbled. "I see you are also enrolling me under my actual name. Are you sure that is wise?"

"Don't worry, it's fine. Up to this point, only we know of your identity. And even then, we've always labeled you under your codename. In case anyone tries to look you up for whatever reason, we've prepared an extensive background for you so it will look as if you have always been a citizen living in Japan. Make sure you go over and memorize it, just to be on the safe side." Hirai took a moment to look at his watch. "And I have another meeting that is to take place in approximately ten minutes. Nagisa-san, you may return to your quarters for the night. Before I forget, we taught you French and proper etiquette, didn't we?"

Nagisa scrunched her face in confusion. "Um, no. Only English. And another no on the etiquette. Why would an assassin need to know such things anyways?"

"Alas, we have failed you." Hirai dramatically put his arm against his forehead as he leaned back. Nagisa watched his whole display with a raised eyebrow. The man frowned and let his arm drop to his side. "Tough crowd. To answer your question, the school requires its students to study a foreign language, and since the school is based around French, that is the only language they offer. Also due to this French basis, they use a lot of silverware. You can read up on both in your free time, right?"

"Look, Takahashi-sama. I don't care about getting good grades in that school. And I especially don't care about 'wowing' all the rich students with exceptional table manners. That reminds me… Do you have something to scan the food with?"

Hirai gave her a puzzled look. "Scan the food…? Oh!" He brought a fist down into his open hand, realization striking him. "You mean poison? That would be almost impossible. The assassin would have to risk poisoning the wrong person, since the plates taken to the tables aren't assigned to specific students. You don't need to worry about that."

"Hmm… Okay…" Nagisa replied, still uncertain.

"Nagisa-san, stop over thinking things. It will be extremely difficult for those targeting Hanazono to actually find a moment to take her out. She's a popular student at the school and rarely ever is alone. Now, please. Go back to your room and prepare. You'll be leaving tomorrow morning."

"Very well, Takahashi-sama," Nagisa complied with a bow, gathering the folder into her arms and walking out the door.

Minutes after the young girl made her exit, a dark-haired beauty entered the room. She seemed to glow with elegance, the slight wrinkles upon her face and occasional gray hair throughout her mane only adding to her sophisticated demeanor. Hirai rose from his seat to greet her, extending a hand once the woman was within reach.

"Mrs. Izumi Sakuragi, I'm glad you could make it."

* * *

Nagisa sat at her desk with her folder open in front of her, digesting every piece of information from the papers she deemed to be important enough to remember.

_Nagisa Aoi. 15 years old. Fourth year transfer student to Miator. Both parents currently overseas on business. Enrolled by aunt, Eiko Himura. Previous education: home-schooled. Only decent marks in my academics. Excellent, that means I shouldn't have to worry about doing too well in my studies… I'm already going to look suspicious transferring as a fourth year; I'm glad Hirai didn't try to add more to my plate._

The girl groaned and reached over to a stack of books she had taken from the library: a few French dictionaries and other readings on etiquette.

_May as well try to blend in…_ She grumbled inwardly. _I'll worry about French when I get there. For now…_ Nagisa flipped open a book on etiquette and began her research on the ways of the wealthy.

* * *

"Um, Takahashi-sama? Do I really have to wear this horrid thing?" The red-head gestured to the charcoal grey one-piece dress that now covered her body, her expression one of disgust. An off-white petticoat poofed out the bottom half of her wool dress, and a green tie hung around her neck.

Hirai smirked and tousled her hair. "Sorry, Nagisa-san, but this is the school's uniform. I think this is the first time I've ever seen you wear anything feminine. You look cute!"

"Hmph. Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Thanks. My things are already there, right?" Nagisa asked as she crossed her arms.

"Of course. Your equipment has also been packed away and transported. If you need anything else, feel free to give us a call. We'll find a way to get whatever you ask for delivered to you."

"Great! Well, I guess it's time for me to go. Thank you for everything, Takahashi-sama." Nagisa gave a deep bow. "I will protect Hanazono and uncover this rogue organization. I will fulfill my mission."

Hirai patted her head. "I know you will. You are one of my best agents. I know you will succeed. You are called Zero for a reason, right?"

The girl grinned up at him. "Right. Take care, Takahashi-sama."

The man pulled her into a tight hug, one she hesitantly returned. She never had gotten used to being openly affectionate with others. "You too, Nagisa-san. Be careful."

Nagisa nodded and clutched her Boston bag close to her as she took one last look at Hirai. She turned and walked towards the black car parked in front of the Takahashi Corporation, climbing inside. She watched the building and Hirai until they disappeared from her sight. Nagisa took a deep breath and exhaled softly. Bespectacled brown eyes watched her from the rearview mirror.

"Are you alright, Nagisa-chan?" Hirai's assistant asked.

The red-head gave her a bright smile. "Yes, Amaya-sama. I'm fine, just thinking."

Amaya returned the smile and set her eyes back on the road. Nagisa rested her chin in a hand as she gazed out the window, taking in the passing scenery. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat and tugged at her clothing with her free hand. Nagisa really hated this dress.

* * *

"Right here should be good," Nagisa said, peering out the window at the greenery.

"Right here? But, Nagisa-chan, Astrea Hill is still a little ways ahead."

"I think arriving in a vehicle such as this one would be suspicious," the girl mused. "I mean, the car is black and the windows are tinted. The license plate could also possibly be traced back to the company. I'd rather take no chances."

Amaya clucked her tongue. "Mmm… I suppose so."

"I'm glad you see things my way, Amaya-sama."

"Well, take care, Nagisa-chan. And be careful," Amaya cautioned her.

The red-head gave the older woman a smile as she exited the car, pulling her large bag out with her. "Aren't I always, Amaya-sama?"

"No, not really," the woman sighed. "That's why I'm worried. Just, don't get impatient. You do tend to jump to conclusions…"

"Amaya-sama, I promise I won't make any rash decisions," Nagisa grumbled in exasperation. "I'll give you guys a call if there are any developments."

Amaya reluctantly nodded and waved to the younger girl as she stepped into the woods. "I'm more worried about the other students. Nagisa-chan is so easily startled. I hope she doesn't break anyone's arm. Or, Lord forbid, accidentally kill an innocent student," Amaya mumbled to herself before driving off.

Nagisa briskly walked towards her new school, St. Miator. She concluded that if she headed towards the tall building peaking above the tree-line, then she would be good. She slung her bag over her shoulder and onto her back, breaking out into a jog.

_Heh, I'll be there in no time!_ She thought as she effortlessly weaved through the trees and other obstacles in her path.

Thirty minutes had passed, and Nagisa had long ago slowed down to a brisk walk. The black dress was like an oven, trapping all the heat around her body. She wiped a sleeve across her forehead which to many would appear unladylike but such thoughts never occurred to her. Nagisa looked up at the trees. She had lost sight of the tall building, the one that had served as her guiding star. She slouched her shoulders; she still couldn't see the building.

_This sucks. How could I get lost? Tall building, wherefore art thou?_

Nagisa froze as a figure came into view. She took a few more steps forward in order to get a better look. The figure was a woman…

_Or a girl? A tall girl…_

She appeared to be wearing the St. Miator's school uniform. Nagisa's heart leapt with joy at the sight. She began to briskly walk towards the girl. "Hello! Excuse me, Miss!" She called out.

The girl started at the sound of her voice, her head jerking up. Nagisa nearly tumbled over her own legs in surprise at the familiar girl. There was no mistaking it: that silver mane, those amber eyes, the tall figure, and fair skin…

_Shizuma Hanazono?! Yes! My day has just improved by leaps and bounds!_

The two stood there, staring at one another. Nagisa cleared her throat, realizing the older girl wasn't about to speak anytime soon.

"Well… So, uh, would you mind taking me to the Strawberry Dorms? I kind of got lost on my way there." Nagisa grinned and sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck.

"And who might you be?" Her voice was smooth as silk, deep and sultry.

_She can't even take the time to answer my question first?_ Nagisa mentally sighed, being certain she maintained her stoic visage. _Just as I thought, another self-important rich snob. I'll play nice… For now, anyways…_

Nagisa smiled sweetly, doing her best to portray an innocent little girl. "I'm Nagisa Aoi, a fourth-year transfer student! I'm going to start living in the dormitory today."

Shizuma grinned at the red-head. "A pleasure to meet you, Nagisa-chan." The silver-haired beauty extended a slender hand. "I'd be happy to lead you to the dormitories."

Nagisa inwardly cringed as the girl before her used her name so familiarly.

_Grin and bear it, Nagisa… Just go with the flow._

Suddenly, the fair-skinned damsel held out a hand. Nagisa stared at it, dumbfounded.

_… the hell? She wants me to hold her hand?_ Nagisa glanced up at the girl's face. She seemed to glow with kindness, and her noble smile appeared as if it could whisk away anyone's worries and doubts. _This reminds me of a phrase… Oh, what is it called? 'Stranger danger'? Yeah, that's it. I feel like my innocence is going to be stolen from me if I stay with her…_

Nagisa smiled softly at the girl. She decided she would simply shake the girl's hand and brush it off as a greeting. She stepped forward and took Shizuma's hand firmly in her own, giving it a few shakes. Meanwhile, Shizuma was taken aback by the strength of her grip.

Just as Nagisa was about to let go of her hand, Shizuma tightened her fingers. Before Nagisa could even react, Shizuma spoke.

"From this day forward, you are my younger sister. Call me Shizuma-oneesama. If you break your promise…" She lifted Nagisa's hand to her mouth and nipped one of her fingers. "I'll punish you."

Nagisa stood there, both dazed and baffled. She couldn't believe someone she had just met would be so forward with her. She shook her head once she came back to her senses and tore her hand from the older girl's grip, her face about the shade of her red hair.

"W-what in the world do you think you're doing?!" She frantically rubbed her damp fingers across the front of her dress. Shizuma stood there, shocked.

"You know what, _Hanazono-san_, I'm done with this charade for today. I don't want your help. I'll find my own way to the dorms. So, please… Do. Not. Follow. Me," Nagisa growled, passing Shizuma by after she had finished her rant. Until a soft hand grasped her empty one and yanked her backwards into a tight embrace.

"It's Shizuma-oneesama, Na~gi~sa-chan," Shizuma breathed into the younger girl's ear, causing the latter to involuntarily shudder. "Didn't I tell you, if you broke your promise, I would have to punish you? And speaking to me in such an indignant tone, I'm afraid I will have to increase your punishment."

Nagisa writhed in the silver-haired girl's arms, but her attempts to break free all failed. Shizuma was surprisingly strong. Her heartbeat quickened as she felt Shizuma's breath caress her ear and neck.

_I can't believe it, am I actually ENJOYING this?! No, no, no… I can't do anything to get out of this hold without hurting her… Gah! Stupid, Hirai! Why'd he put me on this stupid mission?_

Nagisa breathed in deeply then let out a heavy sigh. She knew her pride was about to take a large hit due to the words that were about to leave her lips.

"Shizuma-oneesama. I'm sorry, please don't punish me," Nagisa pleaded, throwing all of her dignity out the window.

Shizuma chuckled against her ear, and Nagisa squirmed in response. "Mmm. I suppose I'll let you go, just this once. But remember. Next time, I won't be so kind."

Nagisa let out a sigh of relief as Shizuma released her. "Now, Nagisa-chan. Take my hand and follow me."

_Again with the 'hold my hand' blah, blah, blah… This girl is scary and so controlling… Why is someone like this so popular? Do the girls here enjoy being taken advantage of? Bunch of perverts…_

The red-head grudgingly took Shizuma's hand and allowed her to lead the way.

_Damn… This girl is going to get me killed…_

* * *

**After note: The woman that came into the meeting room after Nagisa, Izumi Sakuragi, is Kaori's mother. You will find out more about why she visited Hirai later on in the story. I hope you all enjoy this story and leave some feedback!**


	2. Dinner and a Show

**AN: And here's chapter 2! Ninja, alex, Bloodwolf, c2, Guest, doodles, and 102992: thank you guys so much for your reviews! I'm glad you all like the story so far! Your feedback is greatly appreciated and gives me motivation to continue, thanks again! Also a big thank you to those who follow and fav!**

**Moving on, I'm going to continue writing this story from Nagisa's POV. I was considering including Shizuma's and others' thoughts, but I think I'll just leave that all up for the reader to decide (or just describe what they are thinking instead of doing a whole thought speech thing, whatever you want to call it). Of course, there will be times when the 'camera' will shift to other characters, but it will focus on Nagisa for the most part.**

**Also, I will be incorporating scenes from both the anime and novel/manga into the story. This is mainly just for the first few chapters (hopefully), since I'm too lazy to come up with new scenes to introduce the main cast (sorry guys!). Another thing, I went ahead and based the dinner around French etiquette since I forgot if the novel actually went over those trivial details. Just thought I'd explain that part.**

**I apologize for any grammatical errors that I overlook and for any characters that are OOC.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Nagisa flipped the latches on her briefcase and opened it, revealing her sleek laptop, phone, two chargers, and headset. She had already finished unpacking all of her other items, and the trunk full of her mission-related gear was locked up underneath her bed. She had yet to meet her roommate. The resident director had only told her the name of the girl: Tamao Suzumi.

_Hmm… Hopefully this Suzumi-san character isn't nosy._ Nagisa pulled her sleeve back and looked at her watch. **13:42**. _Classes will be ending around 16:30, so I should have time to give Hirai a quick call, then wander the halls for a bit. Maybe I'll go and find out Hanazono-san's room number…_

With that last thought, she was reminded of Shizuma and her overly-friendly behavior.

_That woman… At least she lived up to her word and brought me to the dorms. Though the silence between us during the walk was very awkward…_ She brought a hand up to her forehead, a blush spreading across her cheeks. _I can't believe she kissed me there, in front of the dormitory. Idiot…_

Nagisa shook her head as if that would help disperse her thoughts. She took her phone out of the cushioned foam, started it up, and speed-dialed Hirai.

**"Ah, Nagisa-san,"** Hirai answered after a few rings. **"How do you like the school so far?"**

"Takahashi-sama, why didn't you tell me that you put me in charge of a sexual predator?" Nagisa growled out.

Laughter carried through her cell phone's earpiece.

**"Is she, now? Well, if I had told you of Hanazono's amorously persistent nature, you wouldn't have agreed to the mission. I figured she would become infatuated with you once she saw you. Heh."** Nagisa could see Hirai now, holding his chin in his hand with a smug expression on his face. **"It seems my plan has worked out perfectly so far. Now, she'll be looking for you instead, making it easier for you to protect her."**

_What an egotistical ass… Well, I didn't agree to these terms. So I may as well leave now while I still have the chance._

Nagisa reached under her bed and grabbed one of her empty suitcases. She stood from her kneeling position and walked over to her drawers, opening them and then unzipping her suitcase.

**"Woah, hey, Nagisa-san? What's all that noise? Are you still unpacking?"**

"I'm actually repacking," the redhead retorted.

**"Aw, Nagisa-san. Don't be like that! I apologize for not giving you all the details,"** the man said with a sigh, **"but I thought that would be for the best. And what about Hanazono? You're not the type to walk out on a mission where innocent lives are in danger."**

"That pervert can go and die for all I care," she grumbled.

**"Wow, your first impression of her was that bad?"**

"Yes, she bit my finger and then bear hugged me from behind. She also kissed me without my consent. I'm not about to stick around and find out what's next." She grunted, stuffing another piece of clothing into her suitcase.

**"She… she bit you?"** Hirai asked, his tone incredulous. **"Well, uh… Although I have no idea why she would perform such an act, I'm certain she did it… because…"** He trailed off.

"See? Even you are at a loss for words. I still can't believe you sent me here without telling me about her… mannerisms. You know how much I hate being touched by unfamiliar people, yet you stick me with this."

**"Yes, Nagisa-san, but I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to overcome your fear. Not everyone is out to hurt you, and you need to learn to trust others. The past…"** He paused, trying to grasp words that would tactfully get his point across. **"The past can be a difficult thing to come to terms with. Some people are-"**

"Takahashi-sama, I didn't call you to talk about all that," she interrupted him. "The fact of the matter is that you should have respected my feelings enough to give me all the details." She gripped another shirt but faltered, guilt tugging at her heart. "But, I suppose I am being unprofessional. I shouldn't allow my personal feelings to interfere in this, especially if her life is at stake."

**"Now that's the Nagisa-san I know!"** Hirai chirped. Nagisa pressed her lips together and glanced to the side, shaking her head at his overly enthusiastic tone.

_Idiot…_

"Alright, but remember… Next time, tell me everything." She folded a shirt and set it back in the drawer, glancing down at her nearly full suitcase. "Well, I guess I'll unpack. Again."

**"Gotcha. Remember to give me a call every week with an update. Good luck, Nagisa-san!"**

"Yes, yes. I will. Bye," she replied and turned off her phone, placing it back into her briefcase. She shut and locked it, then slid it under her bed. Nagisa turned back to her open drawers and with a sigh, began unpacking once more.

* * *

Nagisa ambled down the hallway, her hands behind her head. The corridor was empty, save for a young girl walking a few steps in front of her. She had just finished unpacking and was now on her way to the dorm office in order to find out where Shizuma's room was located.

_And once I find out, I'll be able to plant a bug in her room. At night while everyone is sleeping, that would be the perfect opportunity for an assassin to strike. Then again, she does have a roommate which would make it more difficult for them. Oh well, I'm not taking any chances._ She nodded to herself, her next priority set.

She suddenly ran into a small frame, breaking her from her thoughts. She stumbled, the small person in front of her falling forward. Nagisa caught her balance and swiftly wrapped an arm around the younger girl's waist, narrowly preventing her from face-planting into the floor.

"You need to be more careful. Stopping in the middle of the hallway is dangerous," Nagisa scolded the girl, her words coming out more harsher than she intended. She pulled the girl back up to her feet. "Though I suppose I'm at fault as well. I should have been paying attention. Sorry for running into you like that. Are you alright?" She asked, her tone becoming softer.

The young girl whipped around and faced Nagisa, her blue-eyes wide and face a bright shade of red. She was a cute little girl, with dark blue-gray hair fashioned into a bob and short bangs that hung right above innocent cerulean eyes. She bowed deeply and nearly shouted, "I-I'm very sorry! Please forgive m-me!"

Nagisa was taken aback by the girl's fervent apology. Most of the children she had watched and trained back at The Baran were usually rowdy and insolent. Very few of those 'pains-in-the-asses', as she so eloquently called them, actually took the time to show her any respect. She had expected the rich children to mirror that behavior and react snobbishly to anything they disagreed with.

_I suppose there may be a few exceptions… Some of those brats at home could learn a thing or two from this girl…_

Nagisa patted the younger girl on her head, smiling gently down at her. "Don't worry, just be careful in the future. Other students may not be so kind."

The blunette lifted her head, teary-eyed. Nagisa took that moment to offer a deep bow of her own. "Please forgive me as well." She then straightened herself up. The younger girl before her was waving her hands rapidly back-and-forth in front of her, her face flushed a shade darker than before.

"N-no, it's fine!"

Nagisa grinned at the girl, finding her shy and modest nature to be endearing. "I'm Nagisa Aoi."

"I'm Chiyo Tsukidate. It's nice to meet you, Nagisa-oneesama!" Chiyo clasped her hands together, her eyes shining brightly. "Thank you so much for catching me!"

"Y-you really don't have to call me Nagisa-oneesama," the upperclassman said with a nervous laugh, images of Shizuma popping up into her head. "And you really shouldn't be thanking me, Tsukidate-san. I mean, I caused you to fall in the first place."

"You… you don't want me to call you Nagisa-oneesama?" The blunette cast her eyes to the ground. "I… I'm sorry. Of course, you wouldn't want someone as klutzy as me to be your little sister…"

Nagisa recoiled from the girl, guilt clenching at her stomach.

_Uh… Crap, I'm not good at handling these situations…_

"Hey now, uh… Chiyo-chan? I would be honored to have you as my little sister! So, please! Don't cry!" Nagisa exclaimed, a bit too over-enthusiastically, as she patted the younger girl's head. Chiyo instantly brightened.

"Thank you, Nagisa-oneesama! I promise I will be the best little sister ever to you!" Chiyo vowed cheerily, pumping a fist into the air.

"Of course, of course! Ahaha…" Nagisa let out a tense laugh. "So, Chiyo…-chan, what made you stop in the hallway?"

"Oh!" Chiyo's eyes lit up in recollection. She turned her body and faced where she had been looking moments before, pointing at a spot on the floor in front of an open window. "A butterfly was trying to fly, but then it fell to the floor. It stopped moving, and I was trying to work up the courage to pick it up…" She shifted uncomfortably, rubbing a forearm in embarrassment.

"Hmm, I see…" Nagisa walked over to the butterfly, its white wings lifeless. She gently picked up the frail bug. "Poor thing…"

_It appears to be on its last legs…_ She glanced over at Chiyo; the underclassmen was staring at her with wide, hopeful eyes. _I can't let her down. I wonder if the cool air in here is affecting its wings somehow… Maybe a little hot air will warm it up enough._

Nagisa cupped her hands around the butterfly and lifted it up to her mouth, breathing softly onto it. She opened her hands, holding the butterfly outside the window. It began to flap its wings, lifting up out of her hand. Chiyo watched in awe as the butterfly took off, once again full of life.

"Looks like it just needed some warmth," Nagisa murmured. She looked down at her hands, eyes glazing over as she was suddenly overcome by her thoughts.

_I have shown more mercy to that butterfly than I have to any other person… With these bloodstained hands, I gave something else life. Why? Why do I kill? Why do I listen to those who stole my future from me?_ She could feel all sorts of negative emotions surfacing within her. _A puppy… I was like an abandoned puppy but then… The Baran took me in and gave me a home… I became a loyal lapdog in return, jumping at their every beck and call… I… I…_

"…ama! …neesama! Nagisa-oneesama!" Chiyo tugged sharply on the red-head's dress. Nagisa blinked a few times, coming back to reality. She looked down at the girl, frowning upon seeing her worried expression. The upperclassman pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a sigh, irritated with herself for having an episode in front of someone.

_Ugh… What the hell just happened to me? And to think it happened in front of this girl. I need to put her at ease somehow…_ Nagisa rested a hand on the younger girl's head and offered her a wide smile.

"Sorry, Chiyo-chan. I didn't mean to worry you. I guess I'm still a little overwhelmed by this school, being a transfer student and all."

Chiyo held a fist to her chest, a look of determination on her childish face. "Don't worry, Nagisa-oneesama! I'm here for you! If you ever need anything, you can come to me!"

"I'll be sure to remember that, my little sister," Nagisa said warmly, chuckling as the younger girl blushed. "I better let you go, I'm certain your class is worried about you."

"Oh no, you're right!" The blunette gasped. "Goodbye, Nagisa-oneesama! I hope I'll be able to see you at dinner!"

"Me too, try not to get caught running in the hall!" She called after her as Chiyo took off down the corridor.

_Wait a second… Wasn't I trying to keep myself at a distance from others? And here I've gone and allowed myself to let my guard down around a child… I need to be more careful._ The red-head let out a sigh, disappointed she allowed herself to make such a slip up.

Nagisa placed her hands behind her head once again and continued on her way to the resident director's office.

_I wonder what's wrong with me? I have never questioned my purpose or The Baran before. But that one feeling I experienced after that simple act of mercy I performed… It made me want to question everything._ Nagisa shook her head and let out a hollow laugh. _I'm such an idiot. The Baran is my home, and it always will be. They took me in, provided me with a family and gave me a purpose. Besides, who else will rid the world of corrupt individuals? The law enforcement here is borderline useless… Only our organization offers the permanent solution needed to protect the innocent and hardworking citizens of Japan…_

* * *

"You were just here a few hours ago, weren't you?" The resident director asked. She was an elderly woman, her gray hair pulled back into a tight bun and her sharp eyes a dark brown. She wore a black, long-sleeved dress that hung down to her feet. She was currently sitting at her desk, her demeanor as serious as it always seemed to be.

"Yes. I'm Aoi-san, Sister Hamasaka. I was wondering if you would mind informing me of a student's room number."

The Sister's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Oh?" Her face then became stern. "And why would you need such information, Aoi-san?"

"I have an old friend attending this school, and I was hoping I could see her tonight," Nagisa answered, taking in the layout of the room through her peripherals.

_Hn, she obviously isn't going to tell me… No computers either, they must keep all their records on paper. I guess I'll just have to casually ask someone else and try not to seem suspicious… Or I could…_ She smiled inwardly, a new idea popping into her head.

"Well, Aoi-san. We do not divulge that information openly. If the student wants you to know where her room is located, she will tell you. Is that all you wanted?"

"Yes. Thank you, Sister Hamasaka. Good day," Nagisa replied with a bow.

She turned on her heel and exited the room, closing the door softly behind her.

_On to Plan B… I'll return to my room and prepare the tracking device, then plant it on her during dinner. Somehow…_

* * *

Nagisa hooked the tracking device onto the cuff of her right sleeve. It was a small and flat piece of equipment, and it had the same color as the white blouse worn underneath the dress, meaning it would blend right in if clipped to the cuff.

_Now all I have to do is wait for the perfect opportunity to attach this onto her uniform… Then, I'll retrieve it sometime tomorrow after I enter her room to plant the bug. Probably during lunch time…_

The red-head locked her trunk and placed it back underneath her bed. She sat on her mattress and took a moment to glance at her watch. **16:46**. She figured her roommate would be returning any minute now. The door handle jiggled, then turned and opened. _Well, speak of the devil…_

The girl appeared to be about the same height as Nagisa, her frame maybe only just a tad more slender. A portion of her blue hair was pulled up into a bun by a light gray bow, and her bangs hung above her eyes. Two long locks of hair had been left out of her bun, hanging down from the sides of her face and reaching at just about her waist. Her violet eyes glinted with intelligence, adding to her beauty.

Nagisa stood and smiled at her. "Hello, I'm-"

"I already know," Tamao interrupted as she closed the door, her voice soft and serene. She smiled sweetly. "You're Nagisa Aoi-san, right? I rushed here as soon as class finished. I'm glad such a cute girl as yourself is my new roommate."

_What a very… polite person?_ Nagisa racked her brain for a proper response.

"Erm… Right… You're, uh, very cute yourself, Suzumi-san," the red-head awkwardly replied and rubbed the back of her neck, laughing uneasily.

The blunette giggled. "Why, thank you, Nagisa-chan. Since I have nothing else to do today, would you like me to show you around the school?"

_I figured rich kids would be all about formalities, but so far, they have been less formal than even the middle-class people I have spoken with before._ Nagisa thought wryly. _Though I suppose their ignorance of the struggles those less fortunate have could make some of them more trusting of others. Whatever, they can call me what they want. I guess I can allow myself to make 'friends' with a few students. They may be able to unwittingly aid me in my mission sometime in the future…_

"Are you sure? Aren't club activities starting soon?"

Tamao waved her hand at the red-head's inquiries. "It's fine, I told them I would be showing you around today so you won't be lost tomorrow."

"Oh, well that sounds great then. Thank you, Suzumi-san."

"You're being too formal, Nagisa-chan. Call me by my name," Tamao said as she opened the door. The transfer student bit her tongue, holding back a retort she wanted to make in response to Tamao's sudden demand.

"Okay… Tamao-chan," Nagisa finally conceded and followed the blunette out of the room.

"So, Nagisa-chan. Do you mind telling me why you transferred to this school?"

"Well, my parents had business abroad and weren't able to bring me along with them, so I had to stay with my aunt in the city. Apparently, she used to be a student here and pulled some strings so I could transfer," Nagisa answered, carefully regurgitating the information she had memorized from her files.

"I see. It was surprising to hear that we were receiving a fourth year transfer student."

Nagisa looked at her curiously. "Really?"

"Yes. This is a very traditional school, so they don't usually allow others to transfer. Especially a fourth year student." Tamao smiled at her. "But I suppose my Nagisa-chan is the extraordinary exception to that rule."

The red-head quickly turned her head, flushing in embarrassment at the girl's possessive use of her name. "I… I see," she murmured as she pretended to look out the passing windows. Her eye twitched in irritation upon hearing the blunette giggle.

"Is something funny?" Nagisa snapped, her voice calm but sharp. She glanced at the blunette out of the corners of her eyes, only to find her roommate staring at her with a small smile on her lips.

"No, nothing at all, my Nagisa-chan." The red-head's eye twitched once again, and Tamao laughed quietly to herself.

_Tamao and Shizuma… Two wicked girls that intentionally push my buttons in order to get a reaction… I hope no one else decides to use me as their form of entertainment…_

* * *

"Wow, this is amazing…" Nagisa stared up at the statue of the Virgin Mary in awe. The beautifully handcrafted marble towered over the two students, and it seemed to glow from the light pouring in through the windows behind it. Nagisa slowly made her way around it, her eyes taking in every little detail that was engraved in the work of art.

"It is, isn't it?" Tamao said with a smile as Nagisa came to a stop beside her. The red-head nodded, turning back towards the statue in wonderment.

Tamao interlocked her fingers in front of her, bowing her head slightly in prayer. The red-head glanced over at her and then mirrored her actions.

_I don't even know if a god exists, but if one does… Please help me retain my sanity while I attend this school._

Nagisa's skin jumped as something softly brushed against her shoulder, and she just barely held back the defensive reactions her muscles wanted to make. Eyes wide, she jerked her head to look at Tamao who was now standing with her shoulder pressed against her own. The blunette had a large smirk on her face, one eye open.

"You look so lovely when you pray," Tamao said, her voice laced with affection.

Bewildered by the comment, Nagisa stepped back from the girl. She stared at her, eyes still wide and mouth agape.

Tamao giggled at her reaction. "And the expression you are wearing now is especially adorable."

Nagisa closed her mouth and narrowed her eyes. "Please refrain from touching me so familiarly, Suzumi-san."

The other girl's eyebrows rose, surprised by the vehement anger oozing from the red-head's words. The blunette then frowned, hurt flashing across her face. "I'm sorry, Nagisa-chan… You're the first roommate I've had in years, so I guess I became a little overexcited…"

_So I'm the roommate that she's always wanted._ She mused, glancing at Tamao. Gloom emanated from her being, and her eyes were dejectedly glued to the ground. _Oh great… Now I feel bad…_ Nagisa sighed and crossed her arms, looking off to the side.

"Yeah, well… Just give me a warning or something in the future… Alright?" She huffed, her face reddening.

Tamao clasped her hands as she looked up, eyes sparkling. "Of course, Nagisa-chan!" She then put her hands to her cheeks and shook her head, her expression one of content. "Ah, you're so cute. My tsundere Nagisa-chan…"

The red-head covered her face with a hand in exasperation, peeking at the squirming girl through her fingers. "No shame… she has no shame…" She muttered to herself.

"Um… Sorry to interrupt, Suzumi-san, but the headmaster was looking for you."

Tamao broke out of her reverie, returning to her ladylike composure. "Thank you for telling me." She didn't even seem the least bit embarrassed that her little display was witnessed by another.

_That other girl didn't even look surprised. Is it because such behavior is normal here? What a strange school…_

The girl that had delivered the message nodded and continued on her way. Tamao turned to Nagisa, her face earnest. She dramatically grabbed one of the red-head's hands, enveloping it in both of hers. The latter stiffened at the contact, her jaw clenching and heart rate picking up. She mentally cursed her irrational fear and how the slightest bit of physical contact would set her on edge.

"I'm so sorry we can no longer be together!" Tamao said passionately, her voice full of anguish. Nagisa blinked, her mind returning to her current situation. She felt as if Tamao was re-enacting some scene from a sappy romantic drama. Nagisa's mouth twitched upwards at the thought.

"Tamao-chan, you do know you're just going to speak with the headmaster, right?" Nagisa deadpanned, hiding her amusement behind a stony face.

_Though I really wouldn't mind if I didn't have to see this crazy girl again…_

"That may be true, but anything could happen to you during that time…" Tamao replied, gripping Nagisa's hand even tighter. The red-head had to admit, she was a little moved by the genuine concern she felt coming from Tamao's tone. She gave the girl a smile in an attempt to ease her anxiety.

"While I do appreciate that you are worried about me, I can take care of myself. I'll see you back at our room, Tamao-chan."

The blunette grimaced and reluctantly let go of Nagisa's hand. "Okay… But, please. Promise me you'll be careful. And remember to get back before curfew."

"Yeah, yeah. I promise I will." Nagisa turned and began walking back towards the dorms. "You take care too, Tamao-chan."

_Wait a second…_ Nagisa's blood ran cold as a sudden thought hit her. _What did she mean 'be careful'? Does she know something? Has something happened at this school before? Or… maybe she really was just being a drama queen…?_

She glanced back behind her, but Tamao was already gone.

_I guess I'll just have to ask her later…_

* * *

Nagisa sighed to herself as she walked down the hall behind Tamao and Rokujou, the Student Council President. The red-head had caught a glimpse of Shizuma while she was on her way back to the dorm. She tried to tail her without looking too suspicious but ended up losing track of her, and because of her little 'detour', the dorm gate closed right before she could make it through. To make matters worse, she was caught jumping over the dorm wall by Sister Hamasaka. Thankfully, Rokujou arrived to pick her up from the Sister's office.

_And here I was trying to do my best to look as inconspicuous as possible…_

"You sure aren't lucky." A smooth voice broke Nagisa from her thoughts. She looked up and stared at the back of Rokujou's head. The sixth year was about a half-head taller than Nagisa, with short dark-blue hair and golden eyes.

"Getting caught climbing over the dorm wall, of all things," the upperclassman said with a chuckle. She turned her head to look over her shoulder, smiling softly at the red-head. "I suppose I should go ahead and introduce myself. I am St. Miator's Student Council President, Miyuki Rokujou."

"It's nice to meet you, Rokujou-sama. I'm Nagisa Aoi." The underclassman's shoulders sagged, her features becoming remorseful. "I apologize for the trouble that I have caused you…"

"Don't worry, it's my job to look after the students here at Miator." Miyuki flashed her another smile. "Just be more careful next time."

"In other words, don't get caught," Tamao chimed in with a wink she directed towards the red-head.

Miyuki glared playfully at the other blunette. "Now, Tamao-san… Even if you're joking, you shouldn't be telling that to new students." Her tone became solemn. "We here at St. Miator pride ourselves in being model students that set the standard for Le Rim and Spica to follow. Nagisa-san, I expect you to do your best here." She paused momentarily before deciding to add, "And to stay out of trouble."

Nagisa inwardly frowned, not really understanding why the president felt the need to bring her name back into the conversation. Did she look like an impressionable, naïve little girl? Nagisa couldn't help but feel a little offended.

She forced down her irritation and cheerily replied, "Of course, Rokujou-sama!"

Miyuki laughed. "It's great to have another energetic student here."

The three finally arrived at the stairs and began descending to the first floor.

"So, Nagisa-chan, are you prepared to meet the Étoile?" Tamao asked.

"Étoile?" Nagisa cocked her head to the side as she drawled out the foreign word. "Who is that?"

Tamao giggled at her reaction. "She's a student here and represents Miator, Le Rim, and Spica. The Étoile is loved and respected by all three schools, and many of the students here look up to her as their role model," her roommate explained, and Miyuki offered a silent nod in agreement.

_It sounds like this 'Étoile' has many expectations of her. I respect her for taking on such a difficult position. I wonder what she looks like?_

"She sounds amazing," Nagisa murmured.

"Well, she is certainly something," Miyuki said, a wry smile gracing her lips. "Ah, we've finally arrived at the cafeteria."

The group came to a halt in front of a large doorway, and the president turned to face the red-head. "Now, just follow me. We'll seat you after you meet the Étoile." Nagisa dipped her head, acknowledging that she heard her instructions.

Miyuki turned the handle and opened the door, gracefully striding inside. Nagisa followed her, head held high, while Tamao lingered behind in order to close the door. The red-head had a small smile on her face and locked eyes with a few students as she passed, doing her best to give each one a slight nod; she didn't want to appear to be too unfriendly or conceited.

_Hopefully, this is the last time I have to stand in front of all these people… Their stares are making me feel uneasy… Especially knowing that members of the rogue organization are sitting in here, somewhere…_

The president halted upon reaching a group of four girls: one was seated in a dining chair while the three others stood around her. Nagisa placed herself about two feet behind Miyuki, making certain her position would allow her to see around the taller upperclassman.

"This is the new transfer student. I've brought her to greet the Étoile." Miyuki blinked as the group parted to reveal a girl with dark violet hair. "Where is she?"

The violet-haired girl rose from her seat. "She should be on her way."

Nagisa watched the scene with mixed emotions. She found it funny such an important person wasn't where she was expected to be but also irritating since that meant standing longer in front of everyone.

The red-head stiffened as a warm body suddenly pressed against her back, the person's hot breath on her ear. Her heart clenched in fear at the contact, a nauseousness rising in the pit of her stomach.

"So we meet again," an all-too-familiar voice whispered.

Nagisa froze, her eyes widening and heartbeat drumming in her ears. She mechanically turned her head, her face coming within centimeters of the silver-haired beauty's. Nagisa swiftly put distance between the two of them and took a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself.

_What is she doing up here?! Could she be…? No, this person couldn't possibly be the Étoile! But I could have some fun and ask her if she is… Maybe if I'm lucky, she'll get embarrassed or something._ She observed the confident smile on the older girl's face. _Then again, she might not even care…_

"Let me guess, you're the Étoile?" Nagisa asked jokingly, a grin on her face.

Shizuma smirked at her. "You are correct."

"Heh, I knew y-wait, what?" Her mouth gaped open at the revelation. She shook her head in disbelief and directed her attention to Miyuki and Tamao. "Is she really…?"

The two nodded, their expressions conveying annoyance. She assumed it was because of Shizuma's late entrance.

"How in the world did someone like you get put into such a prestigious position?" Nagisa nearly yelled as she pointed a finger at the girl.

"By being the best," Shizuma arrogantly replied, advancing towards the underclassman.

"Hah! The best at what? Making others uncomfortable with your overbearing presence?"

_Shutup, Nagisa. You are only making things worse. There is a time and place for arguments, and right now is definitely not the time nor the place!_ She silently berated herself, fighting to control the anger she felt towards the haughty girl before her.

"You didn't seem to mind my supposed 'overbearing presence' this morning," the silver-haired girl quipped as she steadily grew closer. She seemed to be taking her time, enjoying how the red-head squirmed in response to her advances.

Nagisa clenched her fists, knowing the other students would take what Shizuma had just said as some sort of innuendo. "Well then, I believe you should take a class on sexual harassment. You obviously do not understand the meaning of the word 'no'."

Alarms kept going off in Nagisa's head, telling her to get out of the situation as fast as she could. Her mind then shifted to thoughts about her mission: she still had a tracking device she needed to plant.

The smaller girl continued backing away from the domineering Étoile, only to be cornered into the harsh edge of a table. _Now to play the part of the prey…_ She glared defiantly up at her predator. "I won't allow you to do this…"

"My, my… And how do you plan on stopping me?" Shizuma reached forward and gently grabbed Nagisa's chin, tilting her head upwards.

The younger girl expertly unclipped the tracking device from her cuff, and she raised her hands to grip at Shizuma's arms. Her glare faltered as she became absorbed in the silver-haired beauty's smoldering gaze. Her hands slid down, stopping at Shizuma's wrists. Nagisa used that moment to clip the device onto the upperclassman's cuff, before limply dropping her hands to her sides.

Shizuma smiled contentedly, and she drew her face closer to the red-head's, her lips slightly parting. The other students in the room began to squeal while others watched in anticipation. Tamao and Miyuki stood behind the two, the both of them looking vastly irritated by the Étoile's actions, but neither stepped forward. They knew how Shizuma could be when her 'fun' was interrupted.

_Well, looks like no one is going to save me. So all of the students here at these three schools are perverts… What a surprise. I figured Miyuki would have stopped her by now. Maybe even Tamao. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to reject her in front of everyone then._

Once they were inches apart, Nagisa suddenly grinned smugly and used her hands to firmly push the Étoile away from her, causing the taller girl to gawk. She had expected Nagisa to give in just like all her previous little daisies.

"Looks like I was able to stop you, _Étoile-sama_," Nagisa said in a mocking tone, her voice only loud enough for Shizuma to hear.

"Touché…" Shizuma murmured, flashing that disarming smile of hers.

_I think my plan just backfired… She looks more interested in me now than she did before…_ Nagisa sighed, wondering why the other girl didn't appear the least bit angry by her actions or words. _I figured someone as controlling and proud as her would have shot back at me with a biting remark… I was actually hoping she would, too…_

A sudden chime sounded from the old wall clock that hung on the cafeteria wall.

Shizuma crossed her arms, her face becoming an impassive mask. "We'll finish this another day, little Nagisa-chan," she whispered as she casually stepped away from her, acting as if nothing had ever happened.

"Everyone, please take your seats," Miyuki's stern voice echoed throughout the cafeteria.

Nagisa followed Tamao over to their chairs, the other students watching her. Some in awe, others with contempt, and many in confusion. The red-head sighed once again, something that was becoming quite a habit for her at this school. She sat down, half-expecting her body to suddenly become riddled in holes from all the intense stares she was receiving. _Am I really the first person here to do something like that? How pitiful…_ She glanced around the cafeteria from her seat, locking eyes with a few other students. _Some of them are looking at me as if I kicked their puppy… Though, I guess I did kind of insult their role model._

"Nagisa-chan…"

The red-head was brought back to reality by a soft voice. She looked to her right and saw Tamao-chan, as well as all the other students, with her hands clasped and head bowed in prayer. Nagisa quickly mirrored her actions, but she cracked open an eye in order to watch Shizuma. She looked very majestic standing at the head of the cafeteria, her silky voice carrying out the prayer.

_I still don't understand how someone with such a carefree personality became the representative of all three schools…_

"Amen." Shizuma lowered her hands and opened her eyes, having finished saying grace. Nagisa was still staring at her intently, trying to see what everyone else saw in her. The girl with silver-hair surprised her by looking directly her way. Shizuma smiled and winked at her, having caught the younger girl staring. Nagisa quickly averted her eyes down to her plate and picked up her left most fork, pushing some food around.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid! How could you allow yourself to get caught staring? Especially by her, of all people! As if she needed anything else to stoke that already impossibly high ego of hers…_

"Um, Nagisa-chan? We must wait on the Étoile before we eat. That is also the wrong fork to be using on the main dish," Tamao pointed out.

Nagisa immediately halted the motions she was making with her utensil and set it back down on the tablecloth.

_I guess that quick overview of French etiquette didn't really stick. And what are they all looking at?!_

"Thank you, Tamao-chan," she muttered, shooting glares towards the students giggling at her blunder. The blunette let a chuckle slip out as well, and Nagisa turned to scowl at her. "You traitor…"

Unbeknownst to her, Shizuma had watched the whole display with an affectionate smile. Her little Nagisa was quite the spitfire, and she loved the various emotions that would cross her face whenever she became flustered. Shizuma wanted her, and she would do whatever was necessary in order to obtain her.

"Shizuma!" Miyuki whispered harshly.

The Étoile glanced at her best friend, her amber orbs glinting with irritation. She set her napkin on her lap, all the other students in the cafeteria following suit.

"Bon appétit!" She announced, and everyone proceeded to eat.

The silver-haired girl snuck another peek at her Nagisa, laughing softly to herself as she watched her absently toy with her food. It seemed she was still pouting from the mistake she had made moments ago.

Nagisa poked at her food, still feeling disgruntled with the other students at her table. Especially her evil 'friend' Tamao, who seemed to always laugh at the red-head's expense.

_Assholes… You're supposed to help your peers out, not make fun of them… Huh, I feel like someone is watching me._

She glanced up from her food, locking eyes with the demoness. Shizuma offered her a gentle smile, and Nagisa responded with a roll of her eyes before looking back down at her meal.

_I refuse to become close with that pervert…_ Nagisa thought with a snort as she stabbed a piece of meat and ate it.

Tamao poked her roommate in the side, and the red-head jolted in her seat in response to the touch. "Nagisa-chan, you're still using the wrong fork…"

"Well, Suzumi-san, I have decided that I don't particularly care which utensil I choose to eat my food with," the red-head growled, turning to point her fork at the blunette. "And if you poke me like that again," she stabbed another meat slice, "your fingers will be my next target."

"So you want to eat me, Nagisa-chan?" Tamao whispered suggestively. "Well you can have me whenever you like. You don't even need to ask."

Nagisa could feel the heat rise in her cheeks almost instantaneously after those words left the blunette's lips. Her expression was beyond shocked, and her fork hung limply in her hand. Tamao smirked, inwardly gushing over Nagisa's adorable look. She elegantly cut another square out of the meat on her plate.

"You should close your mouth, Nagisa-chan. It is very unbecoming of you," Tamao said teasingly, glancing at her friend out of the corner of her eye.

Nagisa closed her mouth and proceeded to eat her meal in silence. _Tamao, the secret pervert. And Shizuma, the open pervert. I do not know which one I fear more…_

Her first day here, and she was already beginning to lose her sanity…


	3. Playing the Spy

**AN: Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews, favs and follows! Your feedback is greatly appreciated! I apologize if my updates take a long time. I have this terrible habit of re-reading what I write over and over, tweaking it countless times until I finally either a) get tired of changing it or b) become content with it (usually the former).**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Nagisa laid in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. An hour had already passed since her and Tamao had turned the lights out. She had been patiently waiting for the other to fall asleep, anxious to find out where Shizuma's room was and if the enemy had placed any listening devices of their own yet. Nagisa had already gathered what she would take with her tonight: her laptop and a radio frequency signal detector, both of which were in her backpack under the bed.

She cast a sidelong look over at Tamao and slowly rose from her mattress. It seemed the blunette was finally sound asleep. _Perfect. Now I can get this scouting crap over with._

The red-head knelt down to the floor, retrieved her pack, and put its straps over both of her shoulders. She crept across the room toward the two windows, opting for the one on the right. Her pink eyes glanced every once and again at the slumbering blunette, making sure she didn't rouse her.

She drew the curtains back, unlatched the window, and wrapped her fingers around the handles of the two glass panes, quietly pushing them forward. Standing on the sill, she shut the window doors and looked up to the roof.

_Wow, just a jump away…_ _I guess I should have figured that since my room is on the top floor._ She shivered as a breeze of the cool spring air cut through her thin pajamas. _A little chilly out tonight…_

Nagisa bent her knees slightly, then sprung towards the ledge of the roof. Gripping the ledge tightly, she effortlessly pulled herself up and made her way to the ridge. She shrugged her backpack so it once again sat comfortably on her shoulders before lifting her smart watch to her mouth. The red-head pressed a button on the left side of her wrist device.

"Activate Device T-0." A high beep sounded from the watch, confirming the tracking device had been activated. "Show map."

The rectangular digital screen momentarily went black. Seconds later, a satellite image of the Astraea Dormitory appeared. The two-story building was a triangular shape which allowed all three schools to stay with their own. Of course, Nagisa was ignorant of this information. No one had told her much about the history of Astraea Hill so she assumed Shizuma's room could be anywhere in the large building. The red-head's room was located near the right end of Miator's dorm on the second floor, and a neon green dot indicated this on her map.

_And Shizuma's…_ She stared at the red dot blinking on her screen. _Is a few feet from the left end of the hall… Are you serious?!_

Nagisa clenched her teeth and dragged a hand through her hair in frustration. _All that trouble… And here I could have just followed her, acting like I was going back to my room…_

With a shake of her head, she sighed and continued down the middle of the roof towards her destination. She cautiously walked along on her bare feet, holding her arms out to keep her balance like a tightrope walker. Nagisa finally made it to the area supposedly above Shizuma's room, and she carefully made her way down the steep slope of the roof. She sat on the ledge and then brought her backpack to her side, unzipping it and removing her laptop. She opened and started it up, letting out a yawn as she did so.

_Damn, I should've taken a nap…_

She opened up her computer's control panel and clicked on the 'Network Connections' applet.

_Hmm… No network connections. If it is an IP camera, the network could be hidden…_

She minimized the window and clicked the icon that read 'Decloaker' on her desktop. _What a lame name… The tech guys really couldn't come up with something original?_ She rolled her eyes as the application opened and began to scan for any networks within the area. Minutes went by before the results finally flashed across the screen.

_Nothing… Guess that means no IP camera… On to the next bug detector._

Turning her laptop off, she placed it inside her backpack and then retrieved the RF signal detector.

She pressed the left button on her watch again and said, "Deactivate T-0." A low beep sounded from the watch this time which confirmed the tracking device had been deactivated.

_Now, there should be no interference. I have yet to see anyone here use cell phones or radios. Then again, I could be wrong. Oh well._ She thought with a shrug.

The red-head pulled the antenna out the top of the device and flipped the switch on its side to power it up. She watched it, eyes half-lidded, but nothing happened. She shook it roughly, her patience running thin. _Is this stupid thing even on?! I don't see an 'ON' light anywhere… The signal strength indicator lights aren't even reacting… Well, I guess there's one way to find out if it's working._

"Activate T-0."

As soon as those words left her lips, the device in her hand began blaring a sound akin to that of an ear-piercing shriek, all of the signal strength indicator lights flashing a bright red. Nagisa nearly toppled over the ledge as she jumped at the sudden noise. _Damn! I thought this was supposed to be a low-key, spy-like piece of equipment! What the hell, Hirai?!_ She frantically flipped the device to its side and turned it off, causing the shriek to finally die and the lights to go dark. The red-head angrily shoved the detector into her backpack and zipped it up, slinging it over her shoulders.

_Well, this night couldn't possibly get any worse!_

"Fancy meeting you here, Nagisa-chan," an elegant voice called out to her from below, and Nagisa nearly toppled over the ledge once again. "You are lucky you didn't wake Miyuki with that racket."

_Oh no…_

The red-head just about gave herself whiplash when she yanked her head towards the amber-eyed girl. Shizuma was leaning forward through her window, resting her weight upon an elbow whose hand was supporting her chin. Her right arm laid across the sill, and a small smile was gracing her lips. The seductress had on a silky navy blue nightgown that clung to her ample chest, and a beautiful sapphire necklace hung around her neck. Nagisa immediately turned her head to the side to hide the blush covering her cheeks.

_Couldn't she have some decency and cross her arms or something? Sheesh, I could see right down her cleavage…_

"May I ask why you are here on the ledge of the roof right above my window, setting alarms off in the middle of the night?" Shizuma questioned, her voice playful.

"I got lost. I set my alarm off hoping some intrepid night owl would come save me. But, alas, it seems only a scantily clad pervert has appeared. Such a cruel world," Nagisa monotonously replied as she stared at the full moon above her.

The silver-haired girl lifted a hand to her mouth in mock surprise. "Oh my. Such harsh words, Nagisa-chan. And here I thought I could get an apology out of you for waking me so rudely. Didn't your mother teach you any manners?"

The red-head's body tensed at her question, her jaw and fists clenching as pain and anger filled her. Her face momentarily contorted with bitterness as a vague memory came to the surface of her mind. Of her parents fighting, her mother blaming her for everything, hitting her and screaming at her and… She shook her head to dispel the images, irritated that she still allowed her mother to negatively influence her.

_I wish I could forget the past. It happened so long ago, and yet, at times, it still haunts me. Hah! Even more than the deaths I have caused._ She let out a breath, relaxing her body as she did so. _Hirai was right… I need to overcome this. He and The Baran have helped me out so much already, but there are some things I need to come to terms with on my own._

Shizuma watched the display curiously, not expecting such a reaction. As she observed the pain in the red-head's face, she felt a strange pang in her heart and had the sudden urge to embrace her protectively. It had been awhile since such a powerful feeling had overwhelmed her; she wanted to shield this fragile Nagisa now before her from the world. Without thinking, she began to step up onto the window's ledge.

Nagisa's ears perked at the sudden sound of creaking wood. She had to do a double-take once she saw Shizuma climbing up onto the sill. _Oh, God… Is she… Is she really…?_ _What if she slips and falls?!_ Nagisa quickly snapped back to her former self; she narrowed her eyes and hissed through gritted teeth, "What in the hell are you doing, _idiot?! Get down!_"

Her demands fell on deaf ears as Shizuma hoisted herself up onto the ledge and sat beside the fuming red-head. Nagisa glared at her, but the silver-haired beauty simply offered her a grin and then leaned back on to her hands, enjoying the cool air. The younger girl slapped a palm to her forehead.

"You're hopeless," she grumbled with a shake of her head.

"Mmm. It's your fault. You looked so lonely up here. I just couldn't help but give my adorable Nagisa-chan some company." Shizuma turned her head to look at the smaller girl, a warm smile spreading across her face. Nagisa's eyes remained forward, twinkling with amusement despite the scowl fixed upon her face.

_She's so carefree…_ Her scowl deepened. _And annoyingly possessive._

The red-head snorted. "So sorry to disappoint you, _Étoile-sama_, but I don't belong to you."

Shizuma let out a chuckle, turning her body towards the underclassman. "You may not right now, but you will… in due time. And Nagisa-chan?" She reached out a dainty hand toward the younger girl's face.

Nagisa stared at the other girl, her expression uncertain. She wanted so badly to lean away from the intrusive extremity since she knew how forceful Shizuma could be, but she sat there steadfast as the hand came closer to her face.

A pair of slender fingers suddenly pinched and pulled her cheek, and she let out a yelp, moreso from surprise than pain. She attempted to recoil from the silver-haired demoness, but her fingers remained tightly attached. Her hand twitched, ready to slap the offending appendage away, but she held back, worried one of them may lose their balance on the thin ledge.

_What the hell did I do to deserve this?!_

"Remember, it's Shizuma-oneesama to you."

_I should've known… From now on, I'm keeping a distance of two meters from her._

"Alright, alright! Whatever, just let me go." Nagisa rose her hands up in defeat, her words slightly garbled due to her stretched mouth.

Shizuma smiled smugly and released her. "I'm glad we were able to reach an agreement."

Rubbing her cheek, the younger girl quirked an eyebrow at her. _You call 'this' an agreement?_

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered. "Just… don't do that again. Especially up here. If I fall…" She trailed off menacingly, pointing a glare at the upperclassman.

Shizuma softly laughed, amused that the little girl seated in front of her was attempting to threaten her. She gazed at the red-head, her intense eyes glinting with affection. The stare left Nagisa feeling very uncomfortable, and she shifted nervously. No one had ever looked at her so intently before; it scared her.

"My, my. But I would never allow any harm to befall you, Nagisa-chan." The silver-haired girl took one of Nagisa's cold hands in both of hers and clutched it to her chest. The red-head flinched at the touch, but she forced herself to relax, blushing as her mind unconsciously focused on the softness of the upperclassman's skin. "That is how much I care for you."

Nagisa stared at Shizuma for a few moments, trying to comprehend the words that had just left her lips. _This… It's not possible… Feelings don't just sprout like that. She's teasing me again, I'm certain of it._ The younger girl shook her head in disbelief at the upperclassman, angry at her careless use of such words.

"I don't care for empty words, _Shizuma-oneesama_," Nagisa sneered out her name and gently tugged her arm back. Shizuma held her even tighter to her bosom, and the red-head growled at her brazenness. _Her and her stupid marshmallows… I can't even move my fingers now._

The silver-haired girl gave her a tender smile, not seeming to care about the way her name had been said. "I would never use those words if there was no feeling behind them, Nagisa-chan. From the moment I saw you, I knew you were special."

"Yes, well, that's all fine and dandy…" The red-head muttered and looked to the side, embarrassed by Shizuma's boldness. "But I don't feel the same for you. We hardly even know each other."

_How can she say something so cheesy with such a straight face?_ She shivered; the cold was beginning to get to her. _My feet are freezing…_

Shizuma took notice of the red-head's trembling, and a devilish smile arose on her face. "It is a bit chilly out here, isn't it, Nagisa-chan? How about we go inside, warm up and," she brought the underclassman's hand to her lips and placed a light kiss upon it, "…get to know each other better?"

Nagisa stared at her, flabbergasted by the suggestion. Realizing her mouth was hanging open, she quickly shut it and turned her head away, aiming her glower toward the trees in the distance. "I'd rather freeze to death. Now give me back my hand, you idiot. _Ow!_" She felt something pinch her fingers. She shot a heated glance at the girl beside her. "_Please_, give me back my hand… _Shizuma-oneesama_."

The silver-haired girl obliged her, that smug smirk on her face once again. "Much better, my Nagisa-chan."

"I don't belong to you," the red-head pointed out for what felt like the umpteenth time.

"Yes, yes. I know. Now hurry back to your room so you don't freeze. We wouldn't want you to catch a cold now, would we?" Shizuma said with a wink. "Though I wouldn't mind taking care of a sick Nagisa-chan…"

"Don't make me get a restraining order," Nagisa grunted, rising to her feet and stretching her stiff limbs. She turned and began her ascent to the middle of the roof, but momentarily paused and looked back over her shoulder.

"Be careful climbing back inside," she mumbled, barely loud enough for the other girl to hear.

"My, my. Would you mind repeating that, Nagisa-chan? I'm sorry, but I couldn't hear you," Shizuma teased, an impish grin on her face. She was leaning back once again on her hands, her head rolled to her shoulder and eyes looking coquettishly up at her.

The red-head rolled her pink orbs and continued on her way to the roof's ridge, slowly making her way to her room. She refused to look back at the mischievous girl._ Is she ever serious?_

Arriving at her window, she silently slipped inside. She glanced at the blunette; she was still fast asleep. Nagisa breathed a sigh of relief and proceeded to slide her backpack under her bed. She laid down and wrapped herself tightly in her covers, her body still cold. A thought suddenly hit her. _Crap, I didn't even finish scanning the room…_ She had a feeling tomorrow was going to be a long day.

* * *

_Darkness filled her room, and she prayed for it to completely envelop her, to whisk her away to the past where everything had been right in her young life. Her once picture-perfect family was broken, torn apart by stress and alcohol, but four year old Nagisa didn't comprehend any of that. She only knew what her mother had told her: that she was useless, that it was her who had ruined her marriage, that she wished her daughter had never been born…_

_The little red-head felt confused. Her mother used to love her. Why didn't she love her anymore? Her father used to shower her with attention. Why wasn't he ever home anymore? Nagisa felt angry at herself. Her mother was right; all this strife between her parents must be her fault. She only wished her mother would tell her what she had done wrong. She so desperately wanted to fix it, to glue her family back together._

_But all Nagisa could do right now was sit on the floor with her knees drawn to her chest and cry, her tears streaming down her rosy cheeks. Her hands were tightly pressed to her ears but that did little to silence the fighting that could be heard coming from the other room. Their muffled screams were like a knife to her heart, and the sounds of their violence only twisted that knife deeper into her being. Nagisa wanted to scream, to hear anything else but her parents at this very moment, but the overwhelming sense of fear that gripped her paralyzed her voice. Soft sobs and quiet whimpers were all she could muster._

_The slamming of a door reverberated through the house, a sound Nagisa had come to dread. Footsteps slapped against the floor, steadily growing louder as they drew closer to Nagisa's door._

_"Daddy?" The red-head hesitantly called out in a small voice, hoping tonight would be different._

_Her door swung open and light poured in, silhouetting the figure standing in the doorway, but Nagisa already knew who it was. The figure never changed, no matter how many times she wished and prayed it would._

_"Daughter, come here," her mother softly demanded, voice trembling._

_The little girl quickly stood, wiping her tears away as she rounded her bed to her mother. She looked up at her mother with her doe eyes, wondering if maybe tonight her mother would love her. A powerful slap sent her sprawling to the floor. Her mother was screaming at her again, but Nagisa couldn't hear her over her own bloodcurdling cries. Her mother grabbed her by the hair and shook her. She kept shaking her over, and over, and over…_

"Nagisa-chan!"

"Mommy…" Nagisa whimpered in her sleep. "Stop… please…"

"Nagisa-chan! Wake up!" Tamao continued to shake the red-head gently by her shoulders, worry etched into her face.

Nagisa's eyes flew open, her heart thumping against her ribs. Tamao quickly removed her hands from her roommate, looking down at the sweat-covered girl with an expression full of concern. The red-head slowly sat up and put a hand to her head. The terror in her chest slowly faded, leaving only confusion in its place.

_I haven't had a dream like that in years… Why did I…?_ Nagisa shook her head and let out a shaky breath. _Am I stressed?_

"Nagisa-chan, drink this." She glanced over at Tamao. The blunette had a glass of water in her hand, and Nagisa took the refreshment, gulping it down and enjoying the coolness of the liquid as it wetted her throat.

"Thank you, Tamao-chan," she croaked, her voice still hoarse from sleep.

"I hope that dream wasn't about me," Tamao said with a weak smile, her vain attempt to lighten the situation.

Nagisa let out an amused snort and looked off to the side, a smile tugging at her lips. "As if I would ever have a dream about you."

"Mmm…" Tamao simply hummed in reply. "Are you feeling alright? Your face is still a little pale. We could go to the nurse after breakfast…"

The red-head waved a hand at the blunette's worry. "No, I'm fine. I can't miss my first day of school over a little nightmare. That would be awfully pathetic, wouldn't it?" She asked with a grin as she climbed out of bed.

"I wouldn't consider anything my Nagisa-chan did as pathetic," Tamao replied. Her roommate glanced at her, suspicious of the forced cheer she could hear behind the blunette's voice.

Crossing her arms, Nagisa stared intently at the other girl. "Did I say anything… strange… in my sleep?"

Tamao bit her lip and looked to the side. "You were asking your mother… to stop…" She turned to Nagisa with a questioning gaze, and the red-head could feel the compassion behind it. It was sickeningly sweet.

"Hm. I see…" Nagisa trailed off, uncertain of what to say next. _I guess all I can do is tell her a bit of the truth…  
_

"Well… My mother and I had some rough spots when I was younger, but I became a stronger person as a result of it. So please, Tamao-chan," she pleaded in a firm voice, "don't pity me or treat me any differently than before. Alright?"

"I understand, Nagisa-chan, and I promise I won't pry or tell anyone else about this. If you do ever feel the need to talk about it, know that I'm here for you," Tamao said earnestly, her hands clutched to her chest.

The red-head smiled at the blunette's heartfelt reply. "Thank you, Tamao-chan."

A light blush rose in her roommate's cheeks. "You're welcome, Nagisa-chan." She then smiled, mischief sparkling in her eyes. "You can sleep with me in my bed any night you want, Nagisa-chan. My embrace will serve as your dream catcher!" She declared dramatically, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around her own body.

"More like my nightmares will just become plagued with you instead," Nagisa lightheartedly called over her shoulder as she made her way to the bathroom. "I'm going to take a shower."

"So cruel, Nagisa-chan," Tamao woefully sighed. She then planted her hands on her hips. "And you don't have time for a shower, Nagisa-chan! Breakfast is in twenty minutes!"

The red-head froze. "Twe-twenty _minutes?!_" She turned on her heel, now realizing the blunette was fully dressed. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?!"

"Um… because your sleeping face was so cute…?" Tamao said uncertainly with an uneasy laugh.

_Is that supposed to be a statement or a question?! Argh, I can't believe her!_

"Fine, whatever. I'll wipe myself down real quick and then change," Nagisa grumbled and opened the bathroom door.

"I feel absolutely terrible, Nagisa-chan! Is there anything I can do to make it up to you? Make your bed? Prepare your clothes? Or… maybe you would prefer some help in the bathroom?" The blunette asked hopefully, her hands clasped together in front of her.

"Just get me a change of clothes," the red-head grunted as she closed and locked the door. She leaned against it and sighed. _Today really is going to be a long day…_

* * *

"Remind me again _why_ I allowed you to dress me? Oh wait, that's right! _You didn't even give me a choice!_" Nagisa growled in exasperation, her red bangs swaying.

The two were currently rushing down the hallway to the cafeteria. Breakfast was going to begin within minutes, and they had yet to even make it halfway to the stairs.

"I'm sorry! Yesterday, your uniform looked like you had put it on so carelessly! I just couldn't stop until everything was perfect on you today!" The blunette huffed out between breaths.

Nagisa rolled her eyes. "And our current situation was worth satisfying your perfectionist tendencies?"

Grinning, her roommate looked over her shoulder. "Yes."

The red-head blinked and then smiled, murmuring under her breath, "Idiot…"

They finally arrived at the stairs, and Nagisa had her head trained down at the steps, being careful not to trip. Tamao suddenly gasped in front of her as they rounded the last corner of the stairway, and the red-head looked up in confusion.

"Tam-"

She was interrupted as she ran into the blunette's side. Letting out a surprised yell, she stumbled down the stairs and bumped right into the group that had caused Tamao to freeze. Nagisa blinked, then dared to look up. Amber-eyes stared down at her, amusement written across the silver-haired girl's face. The smaller girl swiftly jumped back away from her, bowing deeply to the group of upperclassmen.

"I'm very sorry."

"Good morning, Nagisa-chan," Shizuma replied, a small smile on her lips.

Nagisa slowly rose back up, cautiously gazing at the taller girl. She figured the esteemed Étoile would have scolded the both of them for their behavior. She stole a glance at Miyuki; the girl had a scowl on her face. _So Shizuma forces her to be the bad guy… For some reason, that doesn't surprise me._

"Um… good morning." Shizuma gave her an expectant look, and Nagisa pressed her lips together in irritation.

"…Shizuma-oneesama." The Étoile's smile returned to her face, obviously pleased.

"Aoi-san," Miyuki began her scolding, "as the Student Council President, I must ensure all students follow the rules. Under no circumstances are you to run in the corridors. Please refrain from doing it again in the future."

_Well, what the hell is someone supposed to do when a student is in trouble then? Speed-walk over to them?_ An image of such a situation popped up into her head, and she laughed inwardly. She then paused as another thought occurred to her. _Wait a minute… Why am I the only one getting in trouble? Whatever._

"Of course, Rokujou-sama. Again, I apologize for my actions." She bowed slightly. "I'll be more careful from now on."

The silver-haired beauty stepped toward Nagisa once the admonishing was over. The red-head glanced up at her as she approached, and she fought to keep her face stoic.

"Your uniform… it suits you well." She reached for the underclassman's tie and began to tighten it, and she silently smirked as the girl stiffened. She took a step back and admired her handiwork. "Much better."

Nagisa watched her warily, waiting for the girl in front of her to make a move. When the upperclassman finished with her tie and moved away from her, the red-head was honestly surprised; she could barely hide the emotion from her face. She stared at her dumbly before finally mustering a quiet, "Thank you."

Chuckling, Shizuma winked at her as she turned. "I hope you have a nice day, Nagisa-chan." And with that, her and her posse headed into the cafeteria.

"Uh, right." Nagisa looked over at her friend. "Let's go, Tamao-chan."

The blunette furrowed her brow and crossed her arms. "I tightened your tie perfectly! Shizuma-sama is always going around doing as she pleases, and now she's trying to take my Nagisa-chan away…" She muttered under her breath, then took the red-head's hands into her own.

"Be careful, Nagisa-chan. Shizuma-sama is fickle when it comes to relationships, and each one has always ended within a month."

"First off, Tamao-chan. I'm not yours. Secondly, I couldn't care less about that woman's personal affairs. And thirdly, let go of my hands. People are starting to stare…"

* * *

Nagisa walked down the Miator dorm's second floor hallway. She was glad it was empty. She was also glad that she was able to evade having lunch with Tamao. And she was ecstatic that she was finally out of that horrid classroom. Right as she had walked through those doors and bid everyone 'good morning', the students amassed around her. Some in awe and others in contempt. Their questions and snide remarks were ceaseless, and Nagisa felt dizzy even now recalling the experience.

She glanced down at her watch, the blinking red light indicating the next door on her left would be Shizuma's. She stopped in front of it and looked around. No students could be seen.

_Alright, I shouldn't need to use a signal jammer… The devices I used last night showed no signs of bugs, but I still need to perform a visual inspection. There may be cameras._

She undid the straps on her leather briefcase and opened its flap, removing her lock picking kit from its contents. She placed the tension wrench into the keyhole, inserted the pick, and went about unlocking the door. After about a minute, she was able to successfully pick the lock. She slowly opened the door, putting her kit away as she did so. She quietly shut and relocked it before she turned to the room.

_A single bed? I figured she would have a roommate… Maybe it's a privilege reserved for upperclassmen._

Looking down at her watch, she tapped the screen in order to zoom in on the red dot. She followed it into the bathroom, coming across the most likely area where her tracking device would be: the laundry hamper. _Ugh… I can't believe I'm about to go through her dirty laundry. Well, on a more positive note, it should be on the top._ She opened the hamper and instantly laid eyes on a white blouse. She searched the cuff and grinned to herself when she plucked her device from the sleeve.

_Now, two more things to go…_

She dug into her bag and retrieved a small, rectangular listening device about the size of a match box. It already had a powerful adhesive strip on its back, placed there by Nagisa yesterday morning. The device was sound activated, and a message would be sent to her smart watch whenever the bug was triggered. It also had a powerful lithium ion battery which would allow it to remain active for about three weeks.

_That'll be a pain…_ She thought with a sigh. _Recharging the batteries…_

Nagisa's pink eyes skimmed the room. A bed was placed to the left of the window and a desk to its right. Adjacent to the desk was a tall bookshelf, and she decided that would be the best place to hide the listening bug. She approached it, peeled the plastic layer away from the adhesive as she knelt down, and stuck the device on the very bottom of the bookshelf and as far back as she could reach. She applied pressure to it and then gave it a gentle tug to ensure it was secure; the device didn't budge.

The red-head stood and nodded contentedly to herself. _And now, to perform a visual inspection of the room._

She pulled out a compact camera detector, an infrared lens at the top. Around the lens were tiny LED lights; they would flash when activated. Nagisa held it up to her eye and turned on the device's LEDs, walking around the room and surveying all the furniture. _From assassin, to bodyguard, to spy…_ She snorted but the thought quickly left her mind as a small flash of red caught her eye. It seemed a camera was in the clock that hung above Shizuma's desk. She pulled the chair out and stood on it, lifting the clock away from the wall.

_This is certainly out of place… I don't remember seeing a clock like this in my room, unless it is something provided to only the upperclassmen, which I highly doubt._ Nagisa tilted her head to the side, lost in thought. _Maybe she received it as a gift from someone… But who? I'll 'confiscate' it for now and take it apart later. Knowing her, she won't even notice it's missing._

Placing the clock into her briefcase, she closed the flap and re-buckled it. The red-head made her way to the door and was about to unlock it until she heard a sharp knock.

"Shizuma, are you in there?" A soft and unfamiliar voice called out.

She cursed under her breath and hurried to the bed, sliding under it.

Looking down at the floor, she furrowed her brow and tried to focus on the voices murmuring behind the door.

Nagisa slowed her breathing in an attempt to quiet her rapidly beating heart. A shiver of anticipation crawled up her spine, and her heart nearly sprung from her chest as she heard the knob jiggle. The door eerily creaked as it opened, and Nagisa prayed that the covers dangling from the mattress would hide her as one figure stepped inside. She couldn't tell which school the student was from since her current perspective only allowed her to see the girl's shoes.

She glanced toward the doorway. _Where's the other person? I know I heard atleast two people…_ The first figure stepped into the center of the room and paused.

"Something wrong?" The voice came from the doorway.

_A lookout… Tch, idiots. What will they do if someone comes along? Close the door and play stupid?_ Nagisa thought with a roll of her eyes.

"The clock is gone…" The girl in the room replied, her tone laced with surprise. "Maybe Shizuma took it down…? It has been awhile since we've been here."

"Perhaps. Let's go. We can set another one up later. The boss doesn't want us to act yet anyways."

"Aw, but I wanted to have some fun with her," the girl grumbled, walking back to the open door.

"Do what you want, but if you get caught, it's your head," the other girl said sharply.

The girl chuckled as she began to shut the door. "I never get caught."

The door closed with a soft 'click' and then all was silent once again. Nagisa let out the breath she had been holding and climbed out from underneath the bed, her hands still trembling.

_I'm assuming they're in Miator if they know Shizuma… But I shouldn't be making assumptions. And their boss, huh?_ The red-head stood and dusted herself off. _What is he or she waiting for? And why has it been awhile since they've been here? If Shizuma was the target, wouldn't they want to constantly be watching her and mapping out her movements?_

Nagisa sighed. None of this was making any sense to her at all. The questions kept swirling in her head, and she hoped she would receive some answers when she viewed the contents of the hidden camera she had found.

* * *

Night had finally fallen upon Astraea Hill, and everyone was sound asleep, save for one little red-head. Nagisa sat on the ledge of the roof right above her window, laptop out and the SD card from the camera plugged into it, along with a pair of earphones. The files had been encrypted, but thanks to a handy applet the tech guys had installed on her computer, she was able to crack them. She had found out the camera hadn't been used in about a year. She also learned that the SD card had been allowed to reach its max storage capacity, which confounded her.

_Hirai said Shizuma was their target… But they haven't been watching her in some time. And now suddenly today, they waltzed in wanting to reactivate their camera. Why?_ A thought suddenly occurred to her. _What if they aren't targeting Shizuma? Then who could it be?_

Question upon question stacked in her mind, each one adding that much more uncertainty about her mission.

She clicked through the videos, her features becoming disgusted at a few. _What the hell? Is she really that much of a playgirl? Maybe I shouldn't have placed that bug in there… If this is any indication of Shizuma's usual late night 'activities', then my database is going to become full of audio porn…  
_

She shook her head, glancing back down at her monitor. As she continued sorting through the data, she began to notice something. Or rather someone. _Shizuma usually has a different girl with her in the files after May of last year… And it appears she went through a period of mourning in April… She says 'Kaori' many times. And I'm guessing this 'Kaori' is the girl in the videos before April. __Hmm… It also appears Shizuma used to share a room with Miyuki during her days with this Kaori person. So she kept this clock with her for some time._  


She played through the videos with the girl named 'Kaori', watching as she slowly succumbed to some sort of illness. _During her last days, it seems she abruptly took a turn for the worse. Seeing how sickly she appeared to be, it isn't all that surprising._

Nagisa sighed._ They left all of this in the camera… Why would they be so careless? I just don't understand any of this! Unless it is true… that Shizuma isn't the one being targeted… And what if there was no target? Were they simply collecting data on Shizuma for some reason? But then why do the videos stop?_

Nagisa threw herself back onto the cold slope of the roof, her mind jumbled. _I need to give Hirai a call tomorrow._ _It looks like things just got a lot more complicated._

* * *

**After note: Don't take all of my technical mumbo-jumbo word-for-word. I did some research into the stuff, other stuff I just made it up because I couldn't find the information I needed (good for nothing interwebs). I'm not too sure if the dorm is actually two stories tall but it looked like it was in the anime. Also, I'm still a little confused about Shizuma's eye color. I know they aren't exactly amber, but I'm going to keep them that way, because I think they match her personality. Another thing, I'm not sure when Kaori passed away, so I just made up something that went along with my story. Anyways, I hope you all have enjoyed this chapter!**


	4. Tea Time

**AN: Thanks again everyone for the reviews, follows, and favs! I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it! I think I have a pretty good idea now about where I want to go with it. I plan on attempting to include some action, but I'm having a hard time thinking about where I would have it (especially because of the school setting) but I'll try to figure something out. Once again, I apologize for any characters that are OOC. It's difficult getting into their heads, especially the new Nagisa. Sometimes I wonder if I should have just kept her as she was. Things would be a lot easier… Oh well, I'll manage.**

******Enjoy.**

**Edit: Garden of Sinners; I agree, I admit those parts had me stumped for a bit and me being lazy, I got tired of thinking about it and left the scenes as is :/ I apologize for this and appreciate the comment and constructive criticism :)  
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* * *

**"Hmm… I see…"** Hirai's voice thoughtfully murmured through the earpiece.

Nagisa watched as the sun began to peak over the horizon, a sense of peace washing over her as she listened to the early birds sing their music. She had just finished recounting the events of yesterday to Hirai: of the camera, the mysterious two girls, and Kaori. Hirai was taking his time on the other line, the pieces of the puzzle in his mind slowly being put together. Irritation prickled the red-head's skin as she waited for the man to finish his silent contemplations. Another minute passed without a word, and Nagisa began to chew her cheek, throwing a glance down at her watch.

_Breakfast doesn't begin in another hour and a half, but from what I gathered yesterday, Tamao wakes early in the morning. I need to speed this up so she doesn't catch me out here._

"Listen, Takahashi-sama. This is what I think… I believe there could be a possibility that Kaori was the target. For what reason, I don't know. But I can't think of anything else. According to the dates of the videos, the camera was placed in Shizuma's room around May of two years ago." Nagisa paused as another realization struck her, and she furrowed her brow in thought. "But wait… These videos came to an abrupt end in June of last year… If the target was dead, why would they continue watching Shizuma?"

**"Well, I was thinking about the exact same thing until I was so rudely interrupted,"** Hirai said with a snort.

Nagisa closed her eyes and shook her head, forcing a slow breath through her nose. "Well then, what did you come up with, Einstein?"

**"I'm glad you asked,"** Hirai said, a hint of smugness in his voice. **"I believe this group is targeting love interests Shizuma takes seriously."**

Nagisa's lips curled into a smile. She fought to suppress a laugh but failed as a snicker escaped from her. "Come on, now, Takahashi-sama! Why in the hell would they care about all that?"

**"Have you already forgotten about the types of people we deal with, Nagisa-san?"** He morosely asked. **"The employer could be a jealous suitor. I would go so far as to even say her father had Kaori murdered. Arranged marriages are prominent among the wealthy. It's a possibility Hanazono-san's father pushed her into meeting candidates that would have helped further his business, but she declined."**

"Hmph. Typical," Nagisa grunted as she leaned back onto the roof. "But I still don't understand why they would think murdering her lover would aid them in the future. Shizuma seems to be very independent. Did they think such a scheme would break her spirit? Make her cave in to their plans? I haven't even known her for two days, but even I'm certain something like that wouldn't work."

A soft sigh sounded from the other end. **"I don't even know what they intended to accomplish with this. I guess for now, you'll just have to investigate further into the matter. Be sure to-"**

"Hold on a minute…" Nagisa spoke abruptly. "In the videos, Kaori seemed to have some sort of illness. Isn't it possible she simply succumbed to it?"

A pause hung in the air after the question left her lips. Hirai seemed to be deliberating his reply. After a few seconds, he finally answered. **"No,"** he slowly began, **"that is not possible. You see, Nagisa-san, this case is a little different from the others. As you know, we usually receive orders from my father in terms of contracts, but this time, we have been employed by another source."**

"I thought your father stepped down as head of the company," Nagisa stated, thoroughly confused.

**"He didn't. He's still in charge of the Takahashi Corporation, but he decided to place me at the head of The Baran since it was difficult for him to balance the two. And in order to bring in extra income, and also to cover up our organization's activities, I created Diaphanum Investigations."** Hirai sounded quite happy with himself as he continued to ramble on about his new business venture.

_Here he goes again… Excitedly going off on a tangent_… Nagisa rolled her eyes.

"Takahashi-sama," the red-head growled, "you are getting _way_ off topic here. My roommate could wake up at _any_ moment so _please_ hurry this up."

**"Alright, alright, calm down. Anyways, Kaori's mother approached the business. She knew her daughter had been murdered and wanted us to look into it for her. According to Mrs. Sakuragi, Kaori's doctor had said her daughter would be able to eventually recover, but when Kaori died so suddenly, she became suspicious."** Hirai paused once again, and Nagisa could hear him shuffling through papers. **"I won't bore you with the technicalities, but apparently, during the autopsy, they found a super strain of bacteria in her that they believe gradually worsened her disease. As it multiplied in her body, the symptoms of her disease became more powerful. She passed away one year ago in the month of March."**

"So the assassin infected her with a super strain of bacteria?" Nagisa questioned, her tone incredulous.

**"Yes. The ones who performed the autopsy believed she contracted it during her last hospital visit and didn't delve any further. Mrs. Sakuragi was able to get a sample of it, and our scientists looked further into it. They came to the conclusion that its structure was altered."**

"Damn…" The red-head muttered, blown away by the revelation. "If you knew this, why did you wait so long to send someone to the school?"

**"Because I needed to gather more information to see if Kaori had, in fact, been the target. I began an investigation into the lives of Kaori and her family. They aren't very well-known and have little power in the business world, so there was no way Kaori was targeted by an enemy of her family. That is when Mrs. Sakuragi informed me of Shizuma Hanazono. I, of course, already knew of her family and its status, and upon further investigation, I came to the conclusion that Hanazono-san had been the true target. The investigations we performed were painstaking in order to ensure we knew what we were dealing with."**

"A whole year?" Nagisa questioned, drawing out each word, her tone mirroring her disbelief. "Maybe you should throw in the towel on this investigating business. I'm surprised Mrs. Sakuragi didn't go elsewhere with how long you took."

**"I wanted to be certain we had all the information we needed!"** He huffed in his defense. **"Now that you have the details, continue observing Hanazono-san and try to find out the identities of those two girls. Don't rush into anything, Nagisa-san. Take your time but try to find the other organization's location before the school year ends. It seems, for now, their agents are following Hanazono-san. We may not have another opportunity after she graduates. And remember to be careful."**

"Yeah, whatever. And don't worry, I'll be _extra_ careful. Especially considering how you just now kindly informed me of the bioterrorist assassins that may try to kill me," she said with a sarcastic edge.

**"Great! Take care, Nagi-"**

The red-head snapped her cell phone shut before Hirai could finish his cheerful goodbye. She was growing tired of his unusual absent-mindedness and wondered why he continued to leave out important information regarding her current mission.

_Knowing him, he probably got too excited with this recent business of his._ She thought as she lowered herself to her window and climbed back inside her room. _Maybe they had an employer confidentiality thing going on. He tends to take things like that seriously though I still wish he would have told me, considering I could __**die**__._

She glanced over at the blunette who was still sound asleep. _At least she didn't wake up. Thankfully, I checked the audio logs before I called Hirai. No one else has entered Shizuma's room, so now all I have to do is place the clock back inside and find out who gave it to her._

Nagisa went to her drawers and began to get dressed, all the while thinking about the next steps she would take.

* * *

The red-head and her roommate were just stepping outside the dormitory when Nagisa came to a halt, placing her palm to her forehead in order for her act to appear more convincing. "Damn, I forgot something back in the room! Tamao-chan, you go ahead to class."

"Nagisa-chan, we can't go back to our room! We'll be late!" Tamao exclaimed, her brows knitting together in worry as she turned to face her friend.

"Didn't you hear what I said? I said _I'll_ go back, not _we'll_ go back," Nagisa said, her voice firm. She tightened her grip on her handbag and tapped her foot in irritation as her precious time passed by. "I don't understand why you feel the need to follow me everywhere."

"I have to protect my Nagisa-chan," the blunette stated matter-of-factly. "You're too adorable for your own good. Someone may swoop in and take you away from me."

"The only bird of prey here is you," the red-head grumbled, rolling her pink orbs. She jumped as a pair of arms snaked around her body and groaned as a head came to rest on her shoulder. Her heart picked up its pace at the sudden contact, and a wave of nausea tossed her stomach.

_Dammit, calm down…_ She chided herself. _It's just Shizuma…_

"I'm the only bird you need to worry about, Na~gi~sa-chan," a smooth voice breathed into the red-head's ear, causing a shudder to ripple through her.

Nagisa squirmed against the silver-haired beauty who tightened her grip in response. Tamao was not amused in the slightest at the scene before her. She planted her hands on her hips, glowering at the older girl.

"What are you doing to _my_ Nagisa-chan?" She asked in a crisp voice. The red-head's eyes widened at the blunette's behavior. She already knew her roommate didn't care too much for the upperclassman, but she never expected her to openly display such animosity.

_Maybe she really is worried about me._ Nagisa mused. She measured Tamao once again with her eyes, taking in her aggressive stance and intense scowl. _Or maybe not… I feel like that last scrap of meat between two starving animals. Why can't they go after someone else and leave me the hell alone?_

As Nagisa's internal dialogue continued, the air amongst the two predators became tense. Shizuma raised her eyebrows at the blunette's usage of Nagisa's name.

"MY?" She then gave a feral smirk as she pressed her cheek against the red-head's, the latter grimacing at the former's actions. "Nagisa-chan belongs to me."

"I don't belong to anyone," Nagisa piped up, but neither of the other two girls were listening to her.

Fiery amber-eyes and icy violet-orbs glared at one another, and the red-head could literally feel the sparks flying between the two. She glanced about the area, only now noticing a few of the other students who had gathered to observe their territorial dispute. The hairs on her neck bristled, and she ground her teeth in frustration, peeved by their antics and by the passive crowd.

_I have to do something about this…_ Nagisa adjusted herself in Shizuma's grip, giving herself enough room to slip a hand underneath the older girl's limb. Using Shizuma's current distracted state to her advantage, the red-head swiftly pinched the underside of Shizuma's upper arm.

The silver-haired beauty let out a surprised yelp and instantly retracted herself from the smaller girl, rubbing at her sore skin. She stared at Nagisa with her lips slightly parted in bewilderment, and the red-head would have laughed at the upperclassman's uncharacteristic manner if she wasn't in her current situation.

With a menacing stare, she turned her attention to the spectators. "I hope you all enjoyed the show," she hissed, "but it's over now, so leave." The students began to disperse, murmuring amongst themselves and throwing dirty looks at the red-head. She shook her head in disgust at them. _Brats… I'm not some form of entertainment. You're all lucky we're in a school environment. What I wouldn't give to knock some sense into these fools…_

"Well, now that this little spectacle is over with, ready to go, Nagisa-chan?" Tamao asked with a smile.

Nagisa pointed her glare at the blunette. Her roommate's smile dropped, and she bowed her head, looking very much like a guilty child.

"Tamao-chan, go to class. Tell them I'm going to be late," Nagisa said, her voice becoming unnervingly calm. She then aimed her gaze toward the amber-eyed demoness who was still gawking at her.

"And you, Shizuma-_oneesama_. Go do… whatever it is you do," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

She then turned her back on the group and proceeded to stomp back into the dormitory, leaving the other girls behind.

"I don't have time to be dealing with those immature idiots," she muttered as she stormed up the stairs. "Fighting over a person they've only known for two days? How pathetic. A bunch of young, silly schoolgirls blinded by puppy love. Well, they're in for a rude awakening once they step out into the real world."

She continued her mindless babbling until she finally arrived at Shizuma's room. _I guess one good thing came of that little… argument. The halls are empty, and now I know for sure that Shizuma isn't in her room._

Nagisa opened her bag and brought out her lock picking kit, once again easily breaking into the upperclassman's room. She quickly made her way into the room and removed the clock from her bag, dropping it behind the silver-haired girl's desk. She glanced up at the nail protruding from the wall.

_Good, now all I need to do is have her invite me to her room…_ She scrunched her face at the thought. _…without giving that pervert the wrong idea. Easier said than done… Ask about the nail, help her find the clock, and then find out where she received it from._

She smirked to herself, silently patting her back. _And then I'll be that much closer to completing my mission and getting the hell out of this insane asylum._

Nagisa re-buckled her bag and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her.

* * *

The red-head sat her tray down across from the blunette and took her seat at the table for two. It was lunch time, and the cafeteria lobby was packed as it usually was. The incessant background chatter did little to soothe Nagisa, particularly due to the fact that much of the gossip she could hear was about her and what had occurred earlier that morning.

"She's such a harlot…"

"…pitting the Miator stars against one another…"

"I know! And that fight earlier…"

"… hurting Shizuma-oneesama like that…"

Nagisa tuned out their babbling and took a bite of her sandwich. She peeked up at the blunette. The girl was staring gloomily down at her food; she had yet to even touch the meal before her. _She must still be feeling at fault for me being late to class…_ The red-head tightly drew her lips to the side of her face, dismayed by the guilty aura permeating from her roommate.

"Tamao-chan." The blunette's head snapped up as soon as Nagisa spoke her name, her eyes wide. She pointed her sandwich at the girl, her stare intense. "Stop beating yourself up over this morning. It's my fault for going back to the room."

Her violet-eyes blinked. "Oh, that?" She smiled sadly. "I was actually more worried about the other girls… It seems Shizuma-sama and I have put you in quite the spotlight." Tamao looked out of the corner of her eyes at a few of the students who were throwing obvious glances toward Nagisa. "And not the good one, I might add."

The red-head scoffed and shrugged. "I could care less about them. I've been hated by more than fifty-percent of the Miator student population ever since I got here two days ago. They can talk as much as they want as long as they stay out of my way," she grunted as she took a sip of her water and set it back upon the table. She then sighed, propping her elbow on the smooth surface and resting her cheek in the palm of her hand. "What was the deal earlier?"

Tamao took her glass in her hand and drew circles around its rim. "Well… Shizuma-sama is the type who always gets what she wants," she murmured softly, glancing up at the red-head, "and right now, she wants you." She sighed as she set her glass down without even bothering to take a drink. She folded her hands in her lap and stared hard at the table. "I just don't wish to see you get hurt. She tends to do that to people she gets involved with…"

Nagisa watched her curiously, barely missing the pain that flitted across the blunette's face. _This seems very personal to her… I wonder if her and Shizuma…? No, couldn't be. Should I ask?_ Her mind briefly flashed back to the image of Tamao's features seconds ago. _I shouldn't. That would be thoughtless of me._

"Me? Fall for her? Please," the red-head chuckled, and the blunette lifted her head. "I assure you, Tamao-chan, that I am not the least bit interested in Hanazono-san."

"Then why did you call her Shizuma-oneesama earlier?" Suspicion laced her roommate's voice.

Her mouth opened as if to speak, but nothing came out. Nagisa closed it and pressed her lips together, brow furrowing. She very nearly said 'because she gets what she wants', but she couldn't say that. She refused to say that. And so, she nonchalantly replied, "To keep her off my back. It's not like I enjoy using such a silly honorific for her, but it's a way for me to keep her at bay."

"So you really aren't interested in her?" Tamao inquired hopefully, eyes shining. Nagisa shook her head, and a large smile spread across the blunette's face. "I'm so happy to hear that, Nagisa-chan!"

"Uh-huh…" She slowly replied as she finished her sandwich and washed it down with a gulp of water. She looked at the dishes in front of her, finding that she had already consumed all of her mini triangular sandwich wedges. All she had left now was a strange French dessert she had never seen before. She took her spoon and scooped up some of the crème caramel, bringing it to her lips and tasting it.

"Mmm…" She moaned and closed her eyes as she savored the sweetness of the custard. Nagisa had always loved desserts, and this time was no different. Rarely ever were they allowed to partake in such treats at The Baran. The trainees were assigned strict diets along with their exercise regimens in order to maintain their health and physique. Only on certain holidays were they allowed to snack, and even then, they were only given small portions. And so this simple pleasure before Nagisa was like heaven to her. _So delicious…_

She opened her eyes to find Tamao staring, her cheeks stained a slight shade of red. Nagisa removed her spoon from her mouth, scowling at the girl. "What?"

"Nagisa-chan! Making such lewd noises at the table…" The blunette murmured coyly, a small smile playing at her lips.

The red-head flushed at her words, her scowl deepening. "I was enjoying my dessert, you idiot! Why do you have to turn everything I do into something so… so suggestive?!"

"You're right, Nagisa-chan. I'm sorry," Tamao sighed. She then perked up as an idea occurred to her. Grabbing her spoon, she scooped some of her crème caramel up and held it across the table. "Here."

Pink-orbs cautiously eyed the piece of silverware. "We have the same dessert, Tamao-chan. You eat yours, and I'll eat mine."

Tamao shook her head dramatically. "No, no, Nagisa-chan! This is a different custard. It has more of a lemon flavor; I get it all of the time! Try it," she demanded as she moved the spoon closer to her friend.

"But they both look exactly the same…" The red-head muttered. _But what if it is a different flavor? It looks so good…_

Nagisa shrugged and took the spoon into her mouth. Her roommate removed the utensil from her lips, and the red-head thoughtfully chewed the custard, narrowing her eyes at Tamao once she swallowed.

"They taste the exact same…" Nagisa grumbled.

"Oh, silly me," Tamao said with a grin as she took a bite of her dessert with the very same spoon. "I must have accidentally grabbed the wrong one."

The red-head resumed eating her own crème caramel, glaring intently at the other girl. "I don't think I'll ever understand you…"

The blunette giggled at her remark. "So, Nagisa-chan… Have you decided which club you'll join yet?"

"The go-home club," Nagisa indifferently replied, taking another sip of her water.

"You need to join an _actual_ club, Nagisa-chan!" Tamao scolded her. She then brought her hands together in front of her, smiling widely. "Since you haven't decided on one yet, how about joining the literature club that I'm in?"

"Literature club?"

"Yes, I really love composing and reading poetry," the blunette continued, excitement brimming through her. "Your cleaning duty doesn't begin until Monday, right?" Nagisa nodded slowly, and Tamao brightened even more. "Well, then. How about we go together to my club meeting after this?"

"I don't know, Tamao-chan… I have some things I need to do today."

"Please, Nagisa-chan!" Nagisa grimaced at the desperation she could hear in the blunette's voice. Tamao clenched her fists in front of her, her face sullen. "I really want you to hear my newly composed work. But, I suppose if you do have more important things to do today… Then I understand."

Nagisa looked off to the side. She couldn't believe she was actually contemplating putting her plans on hold in order to pander to this girl. She sighed._ Hirai did tell me I don't need to rush… I guess I should try to enjoy this freedom while it lasts._

"Alright. If it means that much to you, I'll go."

Tamao put a hand to her cheek and smiled. "Really? Thank you, Nagisa-chan. That makes me so happy." Her violet eyes darted up and then became wide.

The red-head observed the blunette as she looked up in surprise. Tamao stood, and Nagisa followed suit, throwing a glance over her shoulder to see what had caught the attention of her roommate. Two girls approached their table; both of them looked vaguely familiar. One had dark purple tresses and red eyes while the other had short maroon hair and baby-blue eyes. _Those two girls were with Shizuma yesterday morning. I wonder what they're doing here?_

"Tougi-sama, Kanou-sama." Tamao gave a slight bow to the upperclassmen in greeting, and they nodded in response. The blunette suddenly appeared to be confused. "Um… where is Shizuma-sama?"

"She's having a luncheon meeting with the student council members of Miator, Spica, and Le Rim," the girl with purple hair replied.

"Please excuse us," the baby-blue eyed girl said, and the two left just as quickly as they had arrived.

Nagisa studied the girls as they walked away before turning her head to look at the blunette. "A luncheon?"

Tamao chuckled at her friend's ignorance. "Yes. Whenever there's something involving all three schools, the Étoile-sama must also attend."

The red-head gave an amused snort and crossed her arms, a smirk gracing her lips. "A shame their Étoile is so irresponsible. I bet you she's off gallivanting somewhere."

"Nagisa-chan! Don't speak so loud, they'll hear you!" Tamao whispered, taking her seat and gesturing for the red-head to do the same. Nagisa rolled her eyes and sat across from her, glancing over at the two upperclassmen as they ordered some tea.

"So? I don't care," the red-head replied, not the least bit concerned.

"Tougi-sama and Kanou-sama are Shizuma-sama's childhood friends," her roommate explained. Nagisa shrugged and measured her with a look as if to say, "And your point is?" Tamao shook her head at the other's stubbornness.

Nagisa looked away from her as someone else caught her eye. Miyuki entered the cafeteria lobby, glancing about the area with narrowed eyes until she finally spotted who she had been searching for. She began striding towards Tougi and Kanou who were now seated at a table, making small talk and sipping at their tea.

"Huh. I wonder what Rokujou-sama needs with those two. She looks mad," the red-head murmured as she observed Miyuki approach Tougi and Kanou's table. Tamao turned her head to look back at the scene as well. "Now all three of them look irritated. The amazing Étoile strikes again," Nagisa surmised dramatically with a grin.

Tamao shook her head once more, a smile tugging at her lips. "Let's head out, Nagisa-chan. My meeting is going to begin soon."

* * *

"That poem was actually very nice," Nagisa thought aloud to herself. She was currently on her way back to the dorms, leaving Tamao behind to finish her club meeting.

_I'm so glad it's Saturday… Classes are over with so now I can just relax for awhile. I'll worry about the clock later this evening._ She thought, taking in the scenery around her.

The day was still a beautiful one; the sun shone brightly through the trees that lined the sides of the cement-paved footpath, and the gentle spring breeze was refreshing. Nagisa looked up at the green leaves waving in the wind, and an emotion welled in her heart that made her feel as if she could accomplish anything at that very moment. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath as she continued ambling on, relishing the solitude that presently surrounded her.

"Shizuma-oneesama…"

Nagisa's ears perked at the voice, and she opened her eyes, turning her head toward the direction of the sound. A few feet beyond the trees and shrubs stood two figures. The red-head groaned as she caught sight of silver-hair through the greenery.

_It appears she has yet another victim in her clutches… Shirking her responsibilities as the Étoile for this?_

The red-head sighed and quietly approached them. She leaned against one of the trees and crossed her arms, observing the two with a bored expression on her face. They still weren't aware of her presence and went about their business. Shizuma's left hand held the girl's right, and the silver-haired beauty's other hand gently caressed a lock of the girl's hair. She elegantly let the strands slide from her hand, then reached her dainty fingers to the girl's chin and lifted her head. Shizuma slowly leaned in, appearing to savor the moment.

_I think I'll have some fun with these love birds…_ Nagisa smirked to herself and pushed her body away from the tree.

"Shizuma-_oneesama_, what is this?!" The red-head exclaimed as she stepped towards the two, feigning hurt. Nagisa had to force back a laugh as both their heads snapped up to look at her, surprise written across their features. "You can cheat on me, but I can't cheat on you? I knew those words were empty… Nothing but lies!"

"Nagisa-chan?" Shizuma straightened herself up, letting go of the other girl as she did so. She stared at the red-head, blinking in confusion at the sudden turn of events.

The girl broke from her spell and looked back and forth between the two, her face turning scarlet. "I-I'm sorry!" She yelled as she ran off.

Nagisa watched the girl as she bolted, feeling the slightest pang of pity for her. _I wonder how many hearts this she-devil has broken…_

"Nagisa-chan…" Shizuma said her name softly and slowly began to walk to her. Her face was a tad contorted with an emotion Nagisa couldn't quite place her finger on. _Remorse, perhaps? Was my acting that good? I didn't think she would fall for it that easily. Especially with those lame lines I used._

"I meant what I said the other night, my Nagisa-chan. But you must understand, this is the kind of person I am." The silver-haired beauty spoke slowly, soothingly, as if she were talking to a small child.

The red-head gaped at her, both shocked and offended by her arrogance. She promptly closed her mouth but continued to glare at the older girl, crossing her arms.

"Alright, that's fine, as long as you don't mind me having some fun with other girls as well. Say, for example, Tamao-chan?" She inquired mockingly, knowing this would get a rise out of the girl.

"No, you cannot," Shizuma said in a sharp voice, her eyes narrowing. She was a few steps away from the red-head now, but Nagisa held up a hand to stop her.

"Calm down, Shizuma-_oneesama_. I really don't care what you do," Nagisa said, rolling her pink orbs.

Shizuma halted and blinked, feeling strangely disappointed by her words. "You… don't?"

"No, I don't," the red-head grunted as she turned back towards the paved footpath. "I was only teasing you. Now, hurry up and get to your luncheon. It's rude to keep people waiting."

She began to walk forward only to be stopped as a gentle hand firmly grasped her wrist, and she involuntarily flinched as that irrational fear twisted in her chest once again. _Dammit, I wish this thing would just go away._ She took a few deep breaths, her fear ebbing as she reassured herself that she wouldn't get hurt.

"What is it now?" Nagisa questioned, keeping her head trained forward.

"Would you join me for tea after the luncheon, Nagisa-chan?" The amber-eyed girl replied with an inquiry of her own, her voice becoming smooth with an underlying smugness, as if she already knew the other's reply would be in the affirmative.

The red-head looked over her shoulder curiously. _Tea? I suppose this will work… Though my pride wants me to say 'no'._

"Where? At your room?"

Shizuma raised her brows but then her face broke into a flirtatious smile. "I was going to suggest the greenhouse, but I must say, your offer is much more tempting." She released the red-head's wrist, cupping her own elbow with one hand as she brought the other to her chin. "Do you know where my room is?"

"Doesn't everyone?" Nagisa asked snidely as she crossed her arms and looked off to the side, hoping the silver-haired beauty wouldn't push the matter any further.

"My, my, Nagisa-chan. Are you this pleasant with everyone?" Shizuma teased. The red-head gave her an impatient look in response. Shizuma pouted at her and sighed. "Alright, I'll hurry to the luncheon. Meet me at my room in an hour."

Nagisa could feel her lips tugging upwards, amused by the upperclassman's childishness. She quickly turned to hide her smile from the other girl.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be there," she said, her tone conveying her disinterest. She stepped back onto the paved footpath and began heading towards the dorms, anticipation quickening her pulse. _Soon, I'll be one step closer to figuring this mission out…_

* * *

Pink-eyes glanced at both ends of the hall. She sighed in relief, thankful the corridor was empty. Nagisa then turned her attention to the entrance of the seductress' lair.

_Alone with the demoness in her room…_ Nagisa silently said a prayer for herself before she rapped on the Étoile's door, and seconds later, it opened. Shizuma gazed down at the red-head with a warm smile and opened the door wider.

"Please come in, Nagisa-chan."

Nagisa's heart thumped faster as she cautiously entered. _Nervous, why am I so damn nervous?!_ She stopped awkwardly in the middle of the room, crossing her arms in an attempt to appear nonchalant.

Shizuma strode past her, graceful as always, and pulled her chair away from her desk, turning it so it faced the bed.

"I know it isn't much, but please, take a seat, Nagisa-chan," the silver-haired beauty said but paused as she observed the wary girl. She grinned. "Or maybe you would prefer to sit with me on my bed?"

The red-head scowled and stuck her chin out defiantly. "The chair is fine."

Chuckling softly, Shizuma grabbed the two cups of tea she had prepared from the top of her desk. She handed one to Nagisa as the latter sat in the chair before taking her own seat upon her bed. The red-head brought the tea to her face, closing her eyes and taking a whiff of its delicious aroma.

Amber-eyes observed Nagisa, watching as the younger girl brought the cup to her delicate lips and how her slender throat moved as she sipped the drink. Shizuma dragged her eyes back up as Nagisa opened her pink orbs.

"How is it?" Shizuma asked with a small smile, taking a sip from her own cup.

The relaxed expression Nagisa wore drained from her face, replaced by a look of indifference. She gave a shrug, bringing the cup to her mouth and turning her head slightly towards the window. "It's alright."

_She's vain enough as it is… I'm not about to compliment her tea._ She thought as she watched the clouds float across the sky outside. A laugh sounded from the girl across her, and she glanced at her. Shizuma was staring at the red-head with that trademark smile of hers.

"Only 'alright'? Your face spoke otherwise, Nagisa-chan," Shizuma commented, eyes sparkling mischievously.

A slight tinge of red rose in Nagisa's cheeks, embarrassed that the silver-haired girl had been watching her so closely. "Yeah, well… I was thirsty," she dumbly replied.

Shizuma merely smirked at her reply as she took another sip of the tea which only served to grate the red-head's nerves even more.

_Acting as if she knows everything… I doubt I'll ever get used to this attitude of hers. Whatever. Time is ticking, and I need to move this along._

Nagisa sighed and turned towards her, eyeing the girl intently with a wary expression.

"So, what made you invite me for tea?" She was curious about the sudden proposal and wondered what the amber-eyed goddess wanted with her. _Not that I care or anything…_ She added to herself as an afterthought.

The Étoile put on a wounded face as she lowered her tea cup. "Why, Nagisa-chan, you are looking at me as if I have hidden intentions." She then tilted her head to the side quizzically. "Can I not honestly want to get to know you better?"

"You don't seem the type who would make such an attempt without getting something in return," Nagisa bluntly answered, leaning back into the chair.

Shizuma set her jaw, feeling the slightest bit vexed by the younger-girl's assumption of her. The red-head smirked at her irate expression.

"Oh, Shizuma-_oneesama_, did I hit a nerve? Please forgive my candidness, but I was only speaking from what I had observed of you so far." Nagisa dropped her smirk, her lips curling into a sneer as her temper began surging forth.

"And from what I have observed of you so far, you are the stereotypical wealthy snob. Thinking you can have everything you want and stepping on anyone who gets in your way… Using others and then tossing them to the side once you're done with them… Just like that poor girl earlier!" Nagisa hissed as she leaned forward in her chair, eyes flashing with anger. "Did you make her think you cared? Showed her some attention until you had her wrapped around your little finger? Knowing full well that you would just _abandon_ her in the future? You…"

Nagisa could feel tears brimming in her eyes. Those damned tears that always seemed to appear whenever those deep-seated emotions inside her surfaced. She stopped herself from continuing her rage-fueled rant, taking a moment to catch her breath and recompose herself. She bowed her head in attempt to hide her tears from the other girl and also because she couldn't find it in herself to meet the silver-haired beauty's gaze.

Shizuma had looked absolutely shocked, her eyes glinting with a mixture of emotions. Guilt began to worm its way into Nagisa's heart as she sat there, clenching at her dress. She was ashamed she had taken her anger out on another, that she had snapped the way she did. Fear settled in her stomach as a disturbing question crossed her mind: _Am I destined to become my mother?_

She heard a creak from the bed, and her head shot up to see the Étoile begin to carefully approach her. The red-head had the sudden urge to vomit as she saw the kindness in the other's face, the pity. Looking at her as if she was broken. _Why? Why is she looking at me like that? After all those things I said…_

The younger girl held out a hand, and Shizuma paused.

"Don't…"

Nagisa cringed at how pathetic her own voice sounded. It trembled and strained in her throat, like a dam on the verge of collapse. Nagisa knew that once Shizuma laid her hands upon her in her current state, she would break. _I can't believe this is happening… In front of her, of all people…_ The red-head breathed deeply as she watched the other girl, eyes wide in desperation.

The Étoile gazed helplessly at the girl before her, uncertain of what to do next. The once seemingly headstrong Nagisa had become a frail little girl, and Shizuma was taken aback by the unexpected change. Her anger for the fiery red-head had dissipated once she saw that intense sadness consume the girl's features. She wondered what it could be, and if it perhaps was related to her. Was it possible that her Nagisa actually liked her but hid her emotions behind a stubborn demeanor? Or was there something much darker at work here? An image from the night they were on the rooftop flashed through her mind, and she vaguely recalled saying something that had temporarily pained the red-head but couldn't quite remember what those words had been. Shizuma contemplated the younger girl with compassionate eyes and was overcome with another urge to cradle her small frame in her arms.

"Nagisa-chan…" The silver-haired beauty murmured softly and reached out a hand to grasp the red-head's.

The underclassman recoiled from her. "Don't," Nagisa began, her voice stronger. "Just… give me a moment… Please?" Pink eyes begged the Étoile to leave her be.

Shizuma regarded her for a few seconds before giving a silent nod. She turned her body to stare at the rear wall in order to give the girl a moment of privacy.

The red-head blinked at the Étoile's back and then smiled, shaking her head as she wiped her eyes with her free hand. _She could've sat down… Idiot…_

She took another breath and bit her lip as she began to nervously play with her tea cup. She hated appearing so vulnerable in front of others, and she especially loathed how quickly her emotions could get out of check. Only certain things could set her off: a particular word, a sound, even a specific smell. And here she had brought the torrent out herself. _I allowed that anger to escape… and I took it all out on her. And yet she still reached out to me._ Nagisa looked back up at the silver-haired girl, and she could feel the slightest bit of appreciation for the upperclassman welling in her chest.

"Shizuma…" Nagisa finally spoke, voice soft.

The amber-eyed goddess slowly looked over her shoulder, her face an impassive mask, effectively hiding her shock. She could barely believe her Nagisa had spoken her name without an honorific. "Yes, Nagisa-chan?"

The red-head shifted her gaze to the side, embarrassment settling within her once again. "I'm sorry… for those things I said," she murmured.

The Étoile walked to her bed and turned, gracefully lowering herself onto the mattress. She leaned down and picked her cup up from the floor, shooting the younger girl a smile.

"It's fine," she assured the girl, her voice serene. "We all have moments where we get caught up in our emotions. Though I must say… Your words were quite cutting, Nagisa-chan. So much so that I may now be a changed woman," Shizuma finished jokingly as she raised her tea to her lips.

Nagisa couldn't keep the smirk that spread across her face, and she secretly thanked the silver-haired girl for not prying into her 'episode'. "I'm glad my words may have gotten through that thick skull of yours. If you do change your… habits… I may start liking you."

"I'll take that into consideration," Shizuma replied with a smirk of her own.

"Are you always this arrogant?" The red-head questioned as she took the last drink of her tea, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

Shizuma's lips curled into an alluring smile. "Arrogant is such a harsh word, Nagisa-chan. I prefer-"

"Ruthlessly charming?" The red-head offered, suppressing a giggle as the Étoile gave her a hard stare.

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm ruthless," the amber-eyed girl said, a grin appearing across her face. "But I am flattered you think I'm charming."

Nagisa sputtered and then broke out into laughter at the remark. The Étoile attempted to feign a pout but failed as a smile overcame her. She felt content, satisfied that she was able to see this side of the usually stubborn red-head.

After a minute, the younger girl finally ceased her laughter and absent-mindedly went to take a sip from her cup. When no liquid met her lips, she brought the cup to her lap and glanced down at it.

"Would you like some more tea, Nagisa-chan?" Shizuma asked, already rising from her bed to pour her another cup.

"I should probably be leaving soon. I'm certain Tamao-chan will be wondering where I am."

The silver-haired beauty narrowed her eyes at this and paused at her desk, setting her cup on its surface. "How close are you and Suzumi-san?"

Nagisa raised a brow at the edge she heard in the upperclassman's tone. "We're… friends…?" She responded uncertainly. _I would describe us as being acquaintances, but Tamao seems to think we're closer than that. Are we friends? I didn't think it was possible to become 'friends' in only a few days._

Shizuma glanced over at the girl who was in deep thought. "I see…"

Upon hearing the silver-haired beauty's voice, Nagisa broke from her musings. Rising from the chair, Nagisa stepped to the desk and set her cup next to the Étoile's. _Now would be the perfect time to put my plan into action…_

"What time is it, Shizuma… oneesama?" She cringed as the honorific left her lips.

The Étoile smirked at her behavior. She then looked up at the wall above her desk. Shizuma scowled at the nail that held nothing, being reminded that her clock had been missing since yesterday. Nagisa followed her gaze.

"Why are you staring at a nail?"

"I had a clock that hung there, but it went missing."

"Maybe it fell behind the desk?" The red-head suggested.

Shizuma blinked. For some reason, the thought had never occurred to her.

"You may be right."

The red-head stepped back as the upperclassman took a hold of her desk, carefully pulling its right side slightly away from the wall. Nagisa watched with a smile as the older girl bent down behind the desk and retrieved her clock. Shizuma straightened up, device in hand, shooting a glance toward the underclassman. A smirk graced her lips.

"Did you enjoy the view, Nagisa-chan?"

The younger girl furrowed her brow in confusion. "Enjoy the…?" Realization dawned on her face, and her cheeks became a light red. She looked to the side and crossed her arms, scoffing, "I was actually surprised to see the great Shizuma Hanazono perform a physical task. I didn't think you were capable of work."

Shizuma grinned and leaned in towards the smaller girl. "Oh? I'm actually capable of many things, Nagisa-chan," she purred and edged closer to her prey. "If you stay a little longer…"

With a roll of her eyes, Nagisa took a few steps back. "Just hang your damn clock back up on the wall already!"

The Étoile sighed and reluctantly did as she was told. "If only you knew what you were missing out on, my little Nagisa-chan," she said pityingly, pushing the desk back into place.

"So, who gave that clock to you?" The red-head casually asked, totally ignoring the amber-eyed girl's comment.

Shizuma turned to face the girl and grinned playfully, her abrupt change in mood nearly startling the underclassman. "Why do you ask?_"_

The younger girl held back an eye-roll. _Why can't you answer the damn question?_

"Just curious," Nagisa replied, shrugging.

The silver-haired girl looked disgruntled by the short reply but brushed it off, smiling up at the clock on her wall. "A good friend gave it to me."

_Well, looks like she's not going to tell me the name of the friend who gave it to her__…_ Maybe she'll tell me the date she received it? That information will help me decide whether her friend planted the camera or if someone else did_…_

Nagisa watched her, an inquisitive expression on her face. "When?"

Turning her head to the younger girl, Shizuma pouted. "You want to know more about my clock than me?"

"It just seems more interesting than you," the red-head said, shrugging again.

"Beaten by a clock… What a shame…" Shizuma sighed.

"Yes, yes_…_ A pity," Nagisa muttered as she irritatedly shook her head. "I better go. Thanks for the tea."

The red-head turned to leave but was stopped by a pair of arms that enveloped her. She stiffened as the silver-haired beauty pushed herself against her back and shivered as her breath caressed her ear.

"Leaving so soon? But you only just arrived moments ago."

Nagisa clenched her teeth and growled, "Let me go. I have other things to attend to."

"My. And what are these other things of which you speak?" Nagisa could hear the smirk in her voice.

"Things," she grunted as she attempted to wriggle free of the other's embrace, "that I would rather be doing right now."

_Dammit, she has it to where I can't move my arms!_ The red head's heart began to pound in her chest as she continued to search for a way to get out of the forceful girl's grip.

"Are you saying you don't enjoy this?" Shizuma whispered into her ear, lips brushing against the red-head's lobe.

The younger girl jerked her head to the side, cursing the strange emotions that were coursing through her body. _Damn this insufferable woman! I don't like this. I don't like this. _She repeated the mantra in her head, hoping she would regain control of her body.

"If you don't let me go," Nagisa seethed, voice dripping venom, "I _will_ hurt you."

Shizuma chuckled softly and released the girl. Nagisa stood there, amazed that the demoness had actually let her go. She lifted her head, eyes wide and mouth agape, to look at the silver-haired beauty who was currently pushing her chair back underneath the desk. After she had finished, Shizuma looked at her and crossed her arms, smirking.

"Why do you look so awe-struck, Nagisa-chan?" Shizuma teased, her smirk turning into an amorous smile. "Is that a hint of disappointment I see in your eyes? Were you secretly wanting me to continue?"

"N-no!" The red-head stuttered, her face about the shade of her hair. "Of course not!"

She mechanically made her way to the door and opened it, turning her head to warily look back at the silver-haired girl. Shizuma winked at her, and the red-head scowled in response.

"Don't you _ever_ do that to me again, you idiot!" Nagisa snarled before she snapped her head back forward and stepped outside of the room, firmly shutting the door and leaving a very amused Shizuma in her wake.

* * *

The red-head stared up at the ceiling. Another night had come; the lights were out, and Tamao had already fallen asleep. Thankfully, Nagisa returned before her roommate finished her club activities. She wasn't sure how the blunette would have reacted had she told her about her day with Shizuma.

_Shizuma…_

Nagisa groaned and rolled over on her left side. She glared at the wall, still feeling irritated that the Étoile hadn't told her much about the clock.

_A good friend…_ Gears turned in her brain as she tried to figure out who the mystery girl could possibly be. _I don't even really know Shizuma all that well… Wait… Could it be someone from her Student Council posse? _She gave a sigh and rolled onto her back once again.

_Now what? I can't possibly ask one of them without seeming suspicious… I could find out their names from Tamao and then toss them to Shizuma. She might take the bait…_ She snorted. _To think the only lead I have right now is a clock__…_ How troublesome.

The young assassin closed her weary eyes, too tired to think of anything else. She would sleep and then plan everything out tomorrow.

* * *

**After note: FINALLY, THIS CHAPTER IS DONE! Sorry it took a little longer than my others. The dialogue stumped me at a few parts. I also apologize if the drama seems a bit much. I wanted to have a Nagisa with a more troubled past and delve into how she and Shizuma would both grow as characters as their relationship progresses. Of course, the other characters will also play a role in Nagisa's development. I also apologize for any grammatical errors. I edited the story earlier before I posted it, but for some reason, it didn't save (not sure what happened). I did a quick once-over, but I'm certain I overlooked a few things.  
**

**Well, I hope you all have enjoyed this chapter!**


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